Head Trip
by Chopin Gal
Summary: The mission was risky ... she knew what she had to do.
1. Chpt 1 Heartbreak

_Spoilers: Some S6 as context; mostly Season 8. I am projecting my own idea of an evolving arc and disclaim any prior knowledge of where TPTB may be going with this. The story is mine (for better or worse), but the wonderful Stargate characters belong to their masters: MGM, Gekko, et al (mostly for better). General content: mild swearing - kiddies probably hear worse in the schoolyard. Pairings: mostly Sam and Jack, with some interesting twists._

_I'm an avid reader and have been inspired by some of the great Stargate fic already posted here. So I've decided to try telling a tale of my own. Hope you enjoy and feel free to give feedback. It just may motivate me to continue writing._

**Head Trip**

She wearily brushed her stray blonde hair back and looked in the mirror. A glimmer of excitement briefly flashed in her bright blue eyes. Her first solo mission. _Unusual? Yes. Necessary? Of course._

She had trained and prepared for this day for as long as she could remember. He had taken her aside and explained, carefully and patiently, why this was so important. This particular mission would finally lead them to an assured defeat of the enemy. The plan was brazen in its scope and clever in its execution: a female soldier, turned spy, ready to infiltrate the leader's innermost circle. The power of a woman! She was not enamored of this charade – this need to portray herself as someone other than who she really was. But he knew her well; knew that she had the ability to pull this off seamlessly and quickly. What she would learn from this planet's leader would accelerate the defeat of the enemy itself.

The timing and disguise were crucial. _Once in, gain full access to the intelligence,retrieve and record, then quickly get out._

At times he could be distant and almost cruel but she would follow him to the ends of the earth – he was her commander; she was his loyal 2IC. They made a great and formidable team. He would anxiously be waiting for her return and debriefing. It was time to move out. This seemed strange – this going it alone – no backup in the field; no visual connection to her team. She knew they were all waiting and watching from afar (as it needed to be). She adjusted her cap, and the P90 at her side, and moved through the wormhole towards her fated destination.

Jack was feeling jumpy. He couldn't shake this feeling of doom even though the day had started out encouragingly. Soon he realized that this day was of such great importance that it was up to him, as commander, to make sure nothing went wrong. Carter looked edgy, and that certainly wasn't a good sign. He walked over to her and tried some of his lame humor. She tried to laugh in reply, but the twinkle in her eyes failed to appear. Daniel and Teal'c were keeping a low profile, as instructed. This was Carter's show. Yes, Daniel was the resident diplomat but the elders on PX-435 insisted that "the woman alone" be the one to handle the initial negotiations. Their culture placed great emphasis on the power and influence of a woman when it came to treaties and peacemaking. Yet, they strangely accepted the woman as warrior also and permitted the carrying of weapons while mediations were begun. The Asgard insisted that the residents of this planet held the key to locating the enemy who, the past several weeks, had seemed to go into hiding. And, so, the plan was drawn up for Carter to go off world and extract what valuable information she could, quickly, and return to the SGC within 24 hours.

She arrived at the elders' Gate and was greeted by a rather somber group of two distinguished-looking older statesmen and four regal women, the youngest of whom would be about 60 years old. The group saluted her and led her to the "circle of wisdom" from which they would negotiate and answer her many questions. There was something about this group that added to Carter's already anxious state, but she couldn't quite define what that "something" was. She knew she had her own hidden agenda, and, the sooner she decided on the leader, the better.

It was only six hours since Carter had gone through the Gate, but the klaxons began to blare and Jack knew that something was amiss.

"It's Colonel Carter's signature, sir!"

"Then open the iris."

She stepped through, calmly, (which was a relief to the General) and nodded to him with a slight smile. He was unprepared for her rapid return. _Could the mission, although risky, have been executed so well, so quickly?_

Seeing that she was in sound shape, O'Neill asked her to debrief immediately. He would fill Daniel and Teal'c in later.

"Come in to my office, Carter. No need to use the conference room."

"Yes, sir!"

She followed him into his office, and prepared herself for what she had to do.

"To the point, Carter. Did you get what you went after?"

"Mission accomplished, sir" came the confident response.

A sigh of relief broke from Jack's lips, and their eyes met. Within that moment, Jack tried to convey his unspoken feelings for his former 2IC. She looked at him questioningly, and rose from her seat. He knew that they were ever the "good soldiers", never breaking the rules, and was somewhat confused as Sam approached him. Before he could say anything more, "Sam" had raised her right hand and thrust it into his forehead. The pain was blinding, but the recognition of what was happening was even worse than the pain.

Replicator Carter stood over the General as he writhed in pain, stubbornly trying to close his mind to her searching. She looked deeply into his eyes and willed him to stay with her as they traveled the recesses of his mind. This was the moment of truth! The moment she had trained for all those long months with Fifth. Their "brothers and sisters", in human disguise on PX-435, were keeping Colonel Carter occupied with a bogus treaty negotiation while she boldly gated to the SGC and captured the General's attention – literally.

O'Neill was on his knees and on the verge of collapsing – "Carter's" steely gaze refused to relinquish the vice-like grip she had on his mind. His skull felt like it was about to explode. And the images, all the images and memories of his past life, came flooding back in gruesome detail: Charlie's death; capture and torture in Iraq; Baal and his gravity chamber; Sam – _no, don't go there!_ – Sam and the ashrak … Sam and the entity … Sam and the force field … _almost losing Sam – NO – mustn't reveal these memories – mustn't reveal these feelings!_

She had prepared and trained for this day for as long as she could remember. He had taken her aside, and explained, carefully and patiently, why this was so important … but Fifth had never explained the powerful feelings of love that one human being could have for another.

_The General was in love with her! Of course, not her, but the real Sam Carter! _

She suddenly felt a jolt of raw emotion rip through her replicated body – an electrical current so powerful that it caused her to release her hand from his forehead. She looked down at her hand as it shook uncontrollably while O'Neill crumpled to the floor. There was a stunned look on her face. Her mind was in turmoil. She felt a burning sensation in her hand and wiped it across her own eyes as if to erase the images that were transmitted to her just moments ago. She stumbled and steadied herself on the desk to keep from falling. She shook her head to clear her mind but the images of O'Neill and Carter refused to go away. Images of two people, side by side, in the midst of great dangers and assaults, often separated by great distances, yet, somehow, still connected. Images of laughter and teasing and sidelong glances of affection. Images of suffering – bearing each other's pain – worrying more for the other, than one's self. Images of longing for the other – as a human male must long for a human female.

_Damnit – why didn't Fifth prepare her for this?! It was definitely not the "intelligence" they were seeking. This wasn't a mental state – it came from somewhere deeper than the mind …_

At that point, RepliCarter felt a strange, strangling pain across her chest – a pain that seemed to emanate from her heart.

As her breaths became more shallow and faint, she realized that being human carried with it an immense propensity for pain, and an immense propensity for love. She collapsed next to Jack. As her replicated heart stopped beating, a tear fell from her eye.


	2. Chpt 2 Mourning

**Head Trip - Chapter 2**

Carter glanced at her watch. It had been over six hours since arriving on this planet and the negotiations were going nowhere. She felt frustrated at the elders' reluctance to reveal much about themselves and their demands. In fact, this supposedly respected "circle of wisdom" seemed to be going in circles! It was an amusing paradox: a "circle" leading her back to a "square one".

Her thoughts drifted momentarily to her CO. She knew that O'Neill was not happy to send her through the Gate alone, but the orders had come from the President himself – at the recommendation of Thor. The supreme commander of the Asgard had come into possession of some highly important intel from a Tok'ra operative which implied that this planet's elders were in possession of Replicator documents, including plans for future attacks and the location of Fifth's base. She grimaced as the thought of Fifth entered her mind. Jack knew, as did Thor, that her brief capture, not so long ago, had caused a lot of psychic pain. At least they now had a weapon which seemed to be capable of wiping out pockets of replicators; that is, when they could find them. The Tok'ra spy alluded to the fact that there would be more to this mission than the surface secrets the elders were willing to share. It was Carter's duty to win their trust, and then gain access to the more highly guarded intel. Wanting the woman warrior, alone, as the prime negotiator seemed odd, but she soon warmed up to the idea, especially after Daniel reminded her, proudly, that "dux femina facti" – in ancient times and revered cultures, the "leader of the deed was a woman".

"Colonel Carter, you seem distracted."

She quickly looked up and around the circle to see all eyes staring back at her. A sudden chill caused her to shiver … their eyes were so intense and, even more disconcertingly, somehow familiar.

"I'm sorry, my mind drifted for a moment …" _This is ridiculous; Daniel should be sitting in this circle, not me. _

Just as the eldest male was about to speak, a horrendous cry pierced the still air. Carter turned in its direction, her finger on the trigger of her P90. What she saw made her blood run cold. Fifth was standing at the foot of the Gate and, obviously, in great distress. He had a look of utter desolation and despair upon his stricken face as he clutched his arms to his body. He was almost doubled over in pain.

Time seemed to stand still. For a moment, Carter feared that she might be caught in the same time-dilation trap that SG-1 had originally set for Fifth and his "brothers and sisters" on that other fateful mission for Thor a few years ago. The moment passed, though, as Fifth stopped his wailing, straightened, and pointed to her.

Before she could release the safety on her weapon, the P90 was struck from her hand and she was flung to the ground. Stunned, she looked up into the smirking face of First. Within seconds, all of the elders had undergone an insane metamorphosis, returning to their original human-form Replicator selves.

The "circle of wisdom" was nothing more than a sham – a clever ploy to lure her to this planet! She was the one charged with the mission to deceive and detect and discover the hidden Replicator intel – all along, they were the ones manipulating her and the General, the Tok'ra and Thor. To what end?

First motioned Fifth to his side. Together, they looked down on their prisoner.

Carter tried to settle her stomach as the chilling realization gripped her. This was not a planet harboring secrets about a common enemy – this _was_ the enemy! And, quite possibly, this was the Replicators' new base of operations.

With the snap of First's fingers, the sickening sound of metallic "limbs" grew louder and louder. Carter shut her eyes, trying to eradicate the apocalyptic vision appearing before her. From near and far the menacing bugs came, hissing and humming and forming a new circle – a circle of doom – around her. But they did not come alone.

At the command of Fifth, new human-form "elders" appeared, droning what seemed to be some type of funeral dirge while moving forward and forming an even wider circle of containment outside the perimeter of her mechanical captors.

"Our sister is dead" cried Fifth. "All because of her!" At that, the chanting and keening became a cacophony of grief.

Carter had no idea whom they were mourning.


	3. Chpt 3 Deception

**Head Trip - Chapter 3**

The pain was gone now, and he could breathe freely. However, O'Neill delayed opening his eyes – not quite ready to face his nemesis.

The moment that "Sam" had gotten uncomfortably close to him and then, suddenly, entered his mind was one of the most shocking moments of his life. To have become a victim, again, to the humanoid replicators was totally unacceptable. His failure to realize that the "Carter" who returned through the Gate was not Sam sickened him. It also fueled his anger.

He tried to process what had just happened. When Fifth had released Sam from her brief captivity, she seemed, for the most part, unharmed. What he (and even Thor) had failed to consider was the ingenuity of the replicators to evolve to ever higher levels of existence. It seemed that their ability to replicate in human form had now resulted in a copy of Carter – somehow created during Sam's imprisonment.

As he realized this insidious consequence, Jack groaned and slowly opened his eyes. What he saw shocked him even more: "Sam" was lying next to him, her lifeless eyes staring into his. It looked as if she were trying to reach out to him in her last moments.

Unnerving as it was to see "Carter" lying dead, it jolted Jack into action. He sprang to his feet and picked up the phone. Not wanting to cause a general panic, he knew his best move would be to get Daniel and Teal'c into his office immediately. He had to clear his head and come to grips with the fact that he and the President, Thor and the Tok'ra _(damn Tok'ra – another botched piece of intel)_ had all been duped, and his former 2IC was now probably in the hands of the replicators once again.

He also had to decide what to do with the "deceased" replicator now lying at his feet. He slowly bent forward to confirm what he knew to be true. There was no sign of life – no heart beat nor pulse ….

Yet, as a sign of respect for the image of the woman he cared about, _much more than he should_, Jack O'Neill gently placed his fingers on "Carter's" face, and reverently closed her eyes.


	4. Chpt 4 Determination

**Head Trip - Chapter 4**

_Can this be a nightmare? A terrible dream? Or is Fifth already inside my mind – again?!_

Carter listened and watched and finally had to admit that this macabre scenario was really happening. She knew because of the pounding of her heart and the rush of adrenaline through her body. _Flee or fight?_ Her mind won out over her primitive fears. She decided that she had to stand her ground and let the transformed Replicators reveal themselves to her … she needed to find out just what was going on. Besides, she really had no other sane option – disarmed, with a superior enemy surrounding her.

They were obviously devastated by the death of one of their "sisters". Sam knew, from her last round with Fifth, that all the Replicators were linked to each other through some type of sophisticated communication system, possibly, a kind of neural network. _Neural? _It seemed the best term to describe their interfacing in a way that she could grasp. She thought of the replicator basic building blocks as analogous to human DNA – life-giving and essential. By evolving to human form, they had certainly taken a giant leap in power, along with the ability to somehow telecommunicate their thoughts and "feelings". _Feelings? _She was, indeed, witnessing some type of outpouring of emotion – an overwhelming display of grief. But she wondered if the Replicators, themselves, were truly capable of real emotion … could replicated bodies, machines, hold all the mystery and depth of the human heart?

Carter had become so lost in her thoughts that she was barely conscious of the fact that the din had ceased. Fifth shook her out of her reverie as he roughly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up. The encompassing mechanical bugs slowly receded allowing a larger space for the human forms to enter. In some ways, the silence seemed even more ominous than the clamor it replaced.

At that moment, looking once more into the eyes of a very formidable enemy, Sam Carter was determined to fight back with all her mind, will, and heart. She was no longer a stranger to the mental torture and mind games used by these cunning machines. She had been through the ordeal of capture twice before, and had survived.

Perhaps, the third time would be the charm ….


	5. Chpt 5 Revelation

**Head Trip - Chapter 5**

They approached the General's office in haste, responding to his urgent message to "come alone and report to no one" … Teal'c and Daniel had been through a lot, and as they waited for O'Neill to open the door – _Open the door? Why was it locked? _– they could not help but be concerned.

Both teammates had been apprehensive about letting Carter go off world on a solo mission, but their objections were overruled – by Jack and the President himself.

Daniel tried to allay Sam's own fears by supporting her with quotes of wisdom stuck to the door of her lab on a daily basis. He knew that she sometimes second-guessed herself, and he was constantly amazed that such a brilliant woman, outstanding in the fields of astrophysics and military science, could ever doubt her competence. In many ways, she had a certain humility that was quite endearing. It was refreshing to see a warrior who was both meek and bold. She had saved his sorry soul and Jack and Teal'c many times by her fast thinking and steady nerve in the field. He was proud to now serve under her command.

Teal'c had been trying to kel'no'reem when Jack's phone call summoned him. Although he did not find the need nor time to practice his former method of meditation on a regular basis, it still provided a grounding point when he was feeling somewhat anxious or disturbed. He found this to be true now, ever since Carter was given the assignment to go through the Gate alone. These Tau'ri had become his family, his kin. He looked upon Sam as a sister, and felt quite protective of her when the occasion demanded. Which, he had to admit to himself somewhat amusingly, was not often. "Sister" Sam was a very capable adult, a comrade in arms, who had gained his respect and loyalty years ago. He could think of no finer replacement as CO of SG-1 than Sam Carter.

With a click of the lock, Jack opened the door slightly, and then rushed both men into his office. What they saw was beyond comprehension: "Sam" lying lifeless on the floor! Both men were speechless and shocked. Daniel finally broke the silence as he swooped down to touch her …

"Jack, my God, what's happened? Have you called the infirmary?"

Jack placed a restraining arm on Daniel's shoulder and told him, as gently as he could: "She's dead". Before he could say more, Daniel began to shake the lifeless form and call her name. Teal'c then knelt beside the body and looked up at Jack for an explanation – some type of clarification to the bizarre scene in front of him.

"It's not Sam!"

At that, both teammates sat back on their legs and stared at their former CO in amazement.

Jack cleared his throat and quickly reported what had transpired. He found himself working hard to stay in control of his emotions. He would not reveal his deepest fear, that he had allowed this replicator to uncover his most secret longings and desires. She had touched his mind and released a flood of images that shook him to his core. Images and feelings that he thought he had locked away many years ago. He would have to deal with that, alone, in his own good time. For now, his immediate concern was getting Carter back alive!

O'Neill quickly regained command of the situation and began planning a course of action. He welcomed his two former teammates to help him with his plans but, first, the President would have to be called and, then, contact with Thor.

Both supreme commanders listened, incredulously and distraughtly, to the news that they had been deceived. The mood was somber as they then discussed the immediate disposition of the replicator body. It was decided that "Sam Carter" was to be placed in the SGC morgue, the body to be highly classified and under constant guard. _Could there actually be some type of_ _autopsy done on a replicated body?_ This was not ruled out, but, for now, the destruction of all replicators on PX-435 became the prime objective.

The use of the mega-weapon to wipe out all replicators on that planet was the ultimate solution proposed by Thor. However, the Asgard, themselves, were not in proximity to the planet (having been lulled into a lack of preparation due to the expectation that Carter was going to extract the necessary intel to find the replicators elsewhere). Thor would now have to ready the weapon and his fleet, estimating arrival time at the planet to be approximately one week. The President, in the meantime, would ready the Prometheus to be used as backup to the Asgard fleet (although that seemed, to Jack, like sending a third-string quarterback into the game after all the winning touchdowns had already been scored).

Thor should have the capability to locate and beam Sam up before the mass extermination took place. It was this part of the plan that gave Jack the most trouble.

_Did they really have a week's window to descend on what seemed to be the new replicator base?_ _Couldn't they go through the Gate now and extract Carter quickly? He would resume command of SG-1 and lead all available SG units through. Did the replicators even know that their operative was dead? Perhaps the best immediate plan of action was to "play dumb" and try to resume contact with Carter off world. Or why not send a MALP?_

The President listened patiently to O'Neill's concerns about delaying Carter's rescue. However, he could not be convinced that an immediate "search-and-rescue" mission through the Gate would be prudent or successful.

Jack winced as he heard the following words from the Oval Office:

"The security of our planet and the Asgard world are both in jeopardy. We cannot let the life of one good soldier be the focus of this operation. We must think of the greatest good for the greatest number of planets. Therefore, I will abide by Thor's recommendation that he and the Asgard fleet prepare and proceed to the targeted point of detonation. At which time, if Carter can be found, Thor will attempt to beam her up before the final delivery of the weapon."

Daniel and Teal'c sat in front of the speaker-phone on Jack's desk and met his somber, but determined, gaze.

All three men looked at the inert body of "Sam Carter" lying at their feet, and all three reached the same decision ….


	6. Chpt 6 Violation

**Head Trip - Chapter 6**

There would be no tears, no apologies this time. Fifth was no longer an object of her compassion. He stood before her as a real menace, capable of much destruction. She would find a way to subvert his power, weaken his control. She was still free to think her own thoughts as he had not yet had time to physically touch her.

Her own mind was already preparing for his assault when First approached them and spoke in his urbane, condescending manner.

"Colonel Carter, do forgive us for this disturbance. We have suffered a great loss, and, Fifth has been the most affected." Carter looked at him, still puzzled. Rather than explaining, he motioned for her and Fifth to walk in front of him as the circles of replicators widened further and then parted.

"Fifth, please take our 'guest' to her quarters. She may have questions that only you can answer."

With that, Fifth led Carter on a long journey to a fortress-like building, some type of citadel composed of shiny, metallic blocks. It reminded her of their last encounter. She was not foolish enough to think that this was Club Med. It was her prison cell at best; her torture chamber at worst. She felt that she could gain some time by engaging Fifth in conversation.

"What have you done to the people of this planet? Have you turned them all into replicator humans? What was the purpose of this "circle of wisdom", this negotiation going nowhere? Why did you bring me to this planet?"

Fifth looked at her and felt compelled to answer.

_She was willing him to answer, to reveal secrets and data that might help her to analyze and devise a plan of escape. She continued to force all her mental energy into his eyes – almost trying to hypnotize him by her stare. She already knew and experienced his mind games; now it was time to try some of her own._

"The elders of this planet have become our new brethren. We created a necessary diversion here, with you, so that our sister could gate to your planet and extract much needed information from your leader, O'Neill."

Sam was taken aback, but did not show her surprise. _Keep it clinical and cool; maintain composure and continue to stare, stare, and interrogate the interrogator._

"Why me?"

Fifth seemed uncomfortable but could not resist the power of her stare. Her crystal-clear blue eyes, so like the eyes of his lost companion, bore into him.

"Because she was to replace you at the SGC. There could not be two Sam Carters on base at the same time. The plan would have failed. As it is, your O'Neill still managed to destroy her." The last words came out as a whimper.

_Two Sam Carters! Fifth had violated not just her mind, but her physical body as well! _

Sam now felt newer, darker emotions rising within her ... emotions which would fuel her resolve to survive: anger and revenge. She welcomed them into her mind and allowed their power to grow, as Fifth moved forward and thrust his hand into her forehead.


	7. Chpt 7 Mobilization

**Head Trip - Chapter 7**

The next few hours were consumed with the "as planned" stage of the operation. Daniel and Teal'c assisted in transporting the replicator body to the morgue under the watchful eye of Dr. Brightman (who had been already briefed by Jack). She, along with several other medical staff and military police, would be responsible for maintaining the highly classified secret and the security involved.

The President and Thor would keep O'Neill informed of the progress of the Asgard fleet. As to further contact with PX-435, the President remained adamant about keeping a "hands off" policy.

The party line, for all relevant SGC personnel, was that Lt. Colonel "Sam Carter" did, in fact, return from the mission earlier than expected, had been debriefed, and released from base for a short leave. Jack made sure to have Daniel take care of Carter's signature in the base log book. Details were not necessarily his strong point, but, in this case, with Carter's very life at stake, he wanted to make sure that nothing suspicious would interfere with what he wanted to do next.

And what he wanted to do next could very well end in his court martial.

Jack O'Neill was a "take action" kind of guy. His service record, complete with more medals than he could count, showed that he was the first to volunteer for a difficult mission and the first to put himself in the line of fire for a comrade in need. He did not always agree with his commanders, but he respected their decisions and tried to follow orders as best he could. However, his military record also showed that there were times when O'Neill took matters into his own hands, veering dangerously close to insubordination and recklessness. But he always brought his soldiers home. No one was left behind.

Carter was no longer his 2IC; his first act as General saw to that. He knew in his bones (and in his heart) that she was ready for command. He knew that she now had to learn the hard lessons of leadership just as he had done. And those lessons were found in the field, not in some textbook or laboratory. Just as she was beginning to gain confidence and grow into her new position, he had to pull her from team assignment and prepare her for this unusual solo mission. Being the good soldier she was, she threw herself into this operation wholeheartedly and accepted the responsibility. In hindsight, he was a fool to let her go without covering her back!

He played by the President's rules then. This time, he would follow his gut and pursue some options of his own.

"While your CO is off world on her own mission, I am officially releasing both of you from active duty." Jack signed the necessary paperwork which cleared Daniel and Teal'c of any SGC responsibility for the coming week. They, at least, would not be breaking any military rules.

Because PX-435 had suddenly turned very wrong, very quickly, and because the current status of the planet had now become highly classified, Jack had to be careful about revealing the real nature of the problem to his immediate staff. He called Sergeants Davis and Siler into his office and told them that they would be taking direct orders from him, alone, and that everything they were about to see and do would be considered top secret. He then told Siler to prepare the MALP for immediate surveillance. After that, he gave orders to dismiss all other personnel currently working in the Gate or Control rooms.

He had the few good men and what he needed in place. They had to work rapidly to determine the present threat level and possible location of Carter. If all went well, Davis and Siler would continue to monitor the isolated Control and Gate rooms while he and Daniel and Teal'c proceeded through the Gate with the necessary equipment.

But, first, the MALP ….


	8. Chpt 8 Resistance

**Head Trip - Chapter 8**

At first, it was blinding hot. _Can pain be hot? _It felt as if a heated poker had been thrust between her eyes. The fire burned itself into the recesses of her brain. If pain could be a color, this was brilliant bursts of white and orange exploding within her skull. The flames licked at the corners of her mind, trying to grasp consciousness and burn away her thoughts, her will. The searing heat soon spread to the rest of her body. She felt as if her blood was boiling.

_The cold came next. _The white-hot poker became a pillar of ice, expanding and filling her skull with its deep and numbing pain. She felt as if she were submerged in a sea of blue-black frigid water, her limbs becoming heavy and slow. Her mind was shutting down as her hypothermic body sunk beneath the waves … _No! Stay alert – this is just an illusion! You can ride this out …float on the inky water … let it carry you … _

She did not fight the pain; instead, she allowed it to enter brazenly. She gave it room to play within the furrows of her brain; she allowed it to tease and taunt her. _Welcoming the_ _pain freed her._ She moved _through _the pain and came to a hidden place of safety where she could concentrate all energy on preserving her own thoughts, emotions, and will. _She found, in the end, that she became a dispassionate observer of her own tortured mind._

Fifth was livid. _How could this be happening?_ He had been probing Carter's mind for hours. He could see the physical signs of his torture: first, in her fevered face and restless body, and, then, as her blue-tinged lips and fingers shivered uncontrollably.

_He could not reach her mind! _It was as if a barrier had gone up, some type of mental protection. _The pain was getting through to her, but her thoughts and feelings were not_ _getting through to him._ Sam Carter seemed to be providing a level of resistance that he had never encountered before.

He was feeling frustrated and confused by this first round of "communication". As he pulled his hand from her forehead, he felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over him. _Highly unusual, but probably another element of "being human". _He would take a brief rest and then resume his mental interrogation.

Fifth looked down at the figure slumped before him._The love he had professed still burned within him, but he also carried the anger of being spurned. He had replicated this woman, and had trained her well. He taught her what she needed to know for her first mission, under the watchful eyes of First. He had planned to teach her more, much more, when she returned from Earth. He had planned to teach her about human emotions, about the human heart. Instead, he now knew the agony of loss … all because of Carter and O'Neill. _

Sam stirred and moaned quietly. Fifth's face hardened as he thought of how she would be punished. _He would find those corners of her mind, those memories he needed, and twist them as he did before. The next time, she would bend …._


	9. Chpt 9 Master Plan

**Head Trip - Chapter 9**

"_Sir, there's no time … sir, just go!"_

Jack O'Neill sprang upright from his cot, his shirt soaked in sweat. What a time for a nightmare - a wrenching memory of her desperate eyes and pleading voice from so many years ago.

_He wouldn't leave her then; he couldn't leave her now._

The base was eerily quiet in the early morning hours; just as he wanted it. Having dismissed all personnel from the critical areas, he was about to begin a rescue operation that only he, and he alone, had sanctioned.

While Siler worked on getting the MALP ready, he had ordered Daniel and Teal'c to bunk down and catch several hours of sleep. He, himself, tried the same, but his mind refused to shut off.

So Jack spent most of the night checking and re-checking his equipment, including the prototype weapon that Thor allowed him to keep at the SGC. This one piece of weaponry in his arsenal could neutralize all forms of Replicators (although he much preferred the feel of a P90 in his hand). _Yet, since basic projectile weapons could still wreak damage against the mechanical bugs, perhaps he would save the Ancients' weapon for just his encounter with the human forms. He had a nasty suspicion that he would be meeting Fifth once again; in fact, he was actually looking forward to it, as long as he could be assured that Carter was out of harm's way. _

_Damn bugs – how did they grow into such a powerful enemy? _At least Thor would be delivering the final knockout punch to the planet within a matter of days ….

_Days_ _… this was the second day of this calamity._ This would have been Carter's day of debriefing – her successful completion of her first solo mission. Instead, she was being held captive and at the mercy of Fifth and his company of mind-bending robots. _Of this he was sure. _Fifth somehow replicated Carter and began this insane spy game, with Jack as the target! _And now Carter was paying the price._ _Oh, yes, there would be a certain perverse pleasure in meeting Fifth again …._

At 07:30 hours, the President called and informed General O'Neill that Thor was already on the way. He had further good news. By making a crucial adjustment to their hyperspace engines, the Asgard had managed to cut their estimated time of arrival practically in half. They would be over the planet within the next three days. Thor felt that time was of the essence, in the case that the Replicators would become suspicious of retaliation now that their operative had been discovered and neutralized. No one wanted to risk their escaping once again, as they had from Orilla.

This was Jack's greatest fear, too, and he knew that he would have to be absolutely certain that he and SG-1 acted as covertly as possible once they cleared the Gate. He remembered that these human-form Replicators could now sense when their mechanical "brethren" were being neutralized. He could not afford to encounter any bugs on their way to rescue Carter. He was trusting that his special-ops training would serve him well.

By 08:00 hours, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c had geared up and gathered in the Control room as Siler prepared to send the MALP on its way through the Gate. What was waiting on the other side would determine their plan of action.

"Chevron Seven Locked."

The MALP rumbled slowly off the ramp into the event horizon. Within a matter of seconds, they had their answer. It seemed that the Gate was unguarded. Jack waited cautiously for several minutes as the MALP sent back photos of the surrounding landscape. It was fairly level terrain, with what seemed to be some type of large fortress-like building along the not-too-distant horizon. Luckily, no sign of mechanical nor human life forms could be detected.

"Retrieve the MALP."

Either this was a trap, or the Replicators were pre-occupied with other matters _(like_ _torturing Carter)_. Perhaps they had become complacent because of their hubris. _Oh, yes, they were arrogant as hell!_ Jack remembered his own encounter with First on Halla.

Once, long ago, Teal'c had also reminded him of the arrogance of the Goa'uld. It seemed that both enemies had this in common.

_Let it be their fatal flaw._

With that thought in mind, O'Neill adjusted his weapons, and strode through the event horizon with Daniel and Teal'c at his side.

_

* * *

__Disclaimer: If you have been reading this from the beginning, then you know that I am developing my story from incidents that happened primarily in Replicator episodes of Seasons 6 and 8: "Unnatural Selection" and "New Order, Parts 1 & 2". I take no credit for the original storylines and characters. I do, however, offer this projected tale of "what if" in response to what the writers of Stargate/Gekko Productions have given me to play with. I am doing this solely for the recreational pleasure of writing fanfic, and not for profit of any kind. I have also deliberately refrained from reading any Spoilers regarding the upcoming S8 episode of "Gemini". Any similarity in that storyline will be purely coincidental and not intentional. This work is my own._

_First line of this chapter is quoted from S4 Episode "Divide and Conquer"_

_Orilla is the Asgard planet named in "New Order"_

_Halla is the Replicator homeworld named in "Unnatural Selection"_

_This seems a perfect time to catch my breath, and thank each and every one of you for being so supportive with your great reviews. In fact, you've managed to sway my Muse a few times as she was about to go down another path! __The story is now taking its own twists and turns, and turning into much more of an adventure than I had imagined. Hope you continue to enjoy!_

_Special appreciation to my mentor, SG1FanFic, who has already set the bar quite high for doing this kind of stuff! She's just a walking encyclopedia of all things Stargate and a real support. Thanks, SG!_


	10. Chpt 10 Mind Games

**Head Trip - Chapter 10**

She was alone, her throbbing head and shaking limbs a cruel reminder of the ordeal she had just been through.

As her eyes refocused, she took note of the cube-like room which held her. It was composed of tiny metallic blocks, possibly Replicator cells. _Building__ blocks?_ She shuddered as she tried to imagine how Fifth had used material such as this to replicate "Sam Carter". She had no real memory of her time in what seemed to be some kind of stasis; she only carried the memories of nightmarish visions and, then, that ridiculous scenario of her on a "farm in Montana". What was startling was the fact that she could _feel_ his physical touch through the mental probing. A _kiss_ seemed just as real as the _fire and ice _of her latest encounter.

_This was a dangerous game he was playing. He had the ability to transform reality and truly cross over into her psyche. _

Yet, this time was different. _Somehow, she had managed to pull back into herself and leave him standing outside._ She was still shaken from the attempted intrusion, but she sensed that she actually did not release anything of value to him. She knew, _in her heart_, that she had withstood the invasion and kept him out.

She knew he would be back. And she knew she would have to, once again, summon all her strength and determination to fight off the next mental probe. _She promised herself that she would, if necessary, find the way back to that hidden place in her mind. But how long could she continue to hide? How many torturous attempts to probe her mind and find what he was looking for? _She knew, from her aching body, that, sooner or later, she would probably succumb.

_Unless … a new plan of action began to form in her mind …_

O'Neill had told her that the mission was risky. She was originally trained to _deceive and detect_. In some ways, the Replicators' plan to spy on Earth was just as risky. But their "Sam Carter" had lost that gamble.

This Sam Carter was still _in the game_. And, one of the first rules of engagement was _know your enemy_.

_What if she were able to reverse the stakes? _How could she become capable of extracting information directly from Fifth? _She seemed to be able to resist him, both consciously and unconsciously, in this first round. _In fact, he looked confused and almost subdued when she boldly made eye contact and stared at him before the probe. She also remembered that the mind probe on Halla allowed her access to the hidden landscape of _his_ mind, rather than hers. _He wanted to share himself with her._ She knew that she had alienated him on Orilla when she refused to return his love. _Yes, he still hated her and wanted to punish her for the rejection. _

_She sensed, though, that Fifth was still in love with her, and, thus, vulnerable. __Why would he have replicated her in the first place?_

Her feelings of anger and revenge were leading her into new, uncharted territory. She had betrayed him once, following her CO's orders. The betrayal tasted bitter in her mouth. _But, now, she would have to consider betrayal as her only chance for escape, for survival. _

Sam wearily rested her head against the cubed wall, as a small smile played upon her lips.

_The mission was risky … she knew what she had to do._


	11. Chpt 11 Kansas

**Head Trip - Chapter 11**

They emerged from the wormhole under a canopy of bright blue sky which provided a brilliant backdrop for the vivid green of what appeared to be tall prairie grass.

"Well, it's not Minnesota, but Kansas isn't bad for a second choice."

Before Teal'c could raise an eyebrow to his statement, Jack adjusted his sunglasses and motioned for the team to move quickly from the ramp into a large clearing about 100 meters ahead.

They gazed up at towering gray statues which seemed to be representations of a group of elders – mostly women – sages in long flowing robes, each holding a different artifact: a globe, a book, a torch, a basket of what appeared to be fruit, a telescope of some kind, and a child. These six stone statues surrounded a large sandy area in which sat six empty chairs with a seventh chair in the middle.

"This is a sacred place" Teal'c intoned. "Colonel Carter would have met the leaders of this planet here. It seems to be a circle of wisdom."

As if to validate his words, a sudden glint of metal on the ground caught Jack's eye, and he stooped to pick up Sam's weapon which had been partially hidden by the sand. It seemed to have been tossed aside near the seventh chair. It was hard to tell just what had occurred as there were many footprints and scrambled markings in the sand. At least, there were no telltale signs of blood.

Oddly, there were no inscriptions or writings of any kind on the objects. Daniel seemed disappointed, but still ventured an opinion.

"These statues seem to portray a peaceful, agrarian society. The book and torch show that they value wisdom; the globe and telescope lead me to believe that they are open to explorers and to going off world themselves; the child and basket of fruit point to fertility and abundance. These people must have been the planet's original inhabitants since this sacred space remains intact and honored. It looks like they revered the Gate as well, having built some type of ceremonial ramp above the grassy ground, in direct proximity to their circle."

Teal'c spoke what the other two men were thinking.

"It is most unfortunate that a people so wise have fallen victim to the Replicators. It appears that their trusting nature allowed them to welcome travelers through the portal, and this seems to be their undoing."

Jack completed the sweep around the sandy perimeter finding nothing else to link with Carter. Kicking the sand in disgust, he ended with his own interpretation: "Damn bugs – give 'em an inch, and they take a mile. Give 'em a mile, and they take the whole freakin' planet!"

Taking a calculated risk, he leaped up onto the seventh chair and did a quick survey of the surrounding terrain with his binoculars. The planet seemed to consist of rolling fields of grass which stretched to the horizon. Trees were few and far between. Their destination was about 40 kilometers away. The one building, which seemed to mirror the sun's rays, was fairly large, but low and level, probably three stories at the most. Jack would gather more details once they got closer for better reconnaissance.

The temperature was mild and a slight breeze was blowing. _It seemed too idyllic a setting for those metal mind benders. _Jack couldn't help but think of the contrast to Halla – that bleak and barren planet which had been the Replicators' former homeworld. Somehow, the sterility of that planet seemed to fit much better.

"We've got some ground to cover, folks. This may be Kansas, but there's no yellow brick road! Let's move out!"

At that, the three soldiers moved beyond the sandy terrain of the clearing, across a wide arc of trampled grass _(some type of mass exodus?)_, and, finally, into the more dense and shoulder-high blades of grass. Their dark-green combat uniforms would allow them perfect cover.

It was decided that they would fan out about one klick apart and sweep south to southwest, further examining the ground for any additional signs of recent activity. Jack would take point, with Daniel on his left flank and Teal'c on his right. O'Neill was yet unsure of how long this planet's day would last, and wanted to cover as much ground as possible before bedding down for the night. If all went well, they should arrive at their target by high noon tomorrow.

The men had been moving stealthily for about an hour, and no sign of life had yet been found. Suddenly, Daniel's voice crackled from the radio.

"Jack, think I've found something."

"Stay put and stay covered. We're on our way."

Once Teal'c and Jack had converged with Daniel, they looked off to his left, about another 50 meters. There was a wide gravel road, curving up from the southwest, and leading in the direction of the citadel. As they approached the edge of the grassline, they saw that there was a deep trench on the side of the road, about a three-meter (ten-foot) drop from the road itself. It seemed that this was a planetary highway of sorts; certainly, if there were any signs of life, they would be found here. _It would be a good idea to stick close to the highway, hug the trench, and see what could be found. _Jack was mildly surprised by their discovery. _So, there was a "yellow brick road" after all! _

Before moving out to the less protected, but, more rapid, method of reaching their destination, O'Neill signaled for Daniel and Teal'c to undo their backpacks, and take a moment's rest.

Teal'c motioned for an exchange of the heaviest part of their load: the Replicator wave disrupter, the prototype weapon that Jack had actually built while under the influence of the Ancients' knowledge. It was a cumbersome and bulky piece of equipment but the only sure-fire solution to neutralizing the enemy. Somehow, the weapon was able to render each Replicator cell inert and totally break down the building blocks. It carried one serious liability, though: it could not be used without warning human-form Replicators of what was happening to their brethren. Jack and his team knew that it was imperative that they refrained from any encounters with the Replicators until Carter was safely extracted. This whole search and rescue must maintain the element of surprise. So far, they had been lucky. _Still no signs of human or mechanical life. Unless …_

Suddenly, O'Neill glanced down at the ground. Teal'c already knew what he was looking for, and provided the answer by scooping the rich soil up into his hand and letting it crumble and fall from his fingers.

"It appears that we are not standing on Replicator blocks."

"Excuse me?"

Daniel was not on the mission to Halla and had to bebriefed. After Teal'c told him of their past experience, he was just as relieved as his teammates to know that this planet seemed to be more "user friendly".

_God, stepping on Replicators seemed like stepping on someone's grave – your own! _

_

* * *

__Disclaimer: The Replicator wave disrupter has been referenced from S8, "New Order Part 2". It, and all main characters, the Stargate, and the planet Halla (S6), are the intellectual property of MGM/Gekko Productions. _


	12. Chpt 12 Connection

**Head Trip - Chapter 12**

First was not pleased with the results of the first mind probe on Carter.

"I am disappointed in you, Fifth. What seems to be the problem? Have you lost the ability to obtain data from the prisoner? I thought your skills had increased to an admirable level. Do you want me to assist you?" The icy tone carried with it a hidden message.

_He thinks I'm not good enough; I'm "too human", too weak. I'll show him – I'll show them all. I am much more powerful than they think._

Fifth returned his leader's stern look and assured him that he was about to return to the prisoner and, this time, it would be a productive session.

Carter had lost all sense of time. This could be her second or third day on the planet. The cubicle was sterile and cold, containing only the basic amenities for her physical needs. _At least they allowed her that._ Drinking water and what seemed to be a compressed protein bar were being delivered regularly through some type of teleportation device. At first, she was reluctant to try the food and water, but, as she realized that her plan to defeat Fifth would take all the energy she could muster, she started to consume what was placed before her. She found that the food bar was much more palatable than Thor's protein cubes, and nothing untoward had happened. _Of course not, Carter – they want your mind first before they mess with your body._ That thought only served to energize her more.

There were no doors or exits of any kind that she could discern. As she waited for her captor to return, Carter started to play with the physics of it all: Fifth's ability to move through concrete barriers at will and reconfigure himself on the other side. _Was that really happening? Were these walls what they seemed to be? Yes, hard and cold to her touch, yet ..._

Sam was beginning to doubt if her perception of reality were the truth. _Perhaps her confinement here were another illusion,_ _part of the game these Replicators played. Fifth had done that before to her, on Orilla, with the "farm in Montana". Did he leave an imprint of reality in her mind again? Was he keeping her here through a mental suggestion?_

She realized that she would have to learn how to read Fifth's mind, literally, in order to save her own. _And, in order to do that, she would have to gain his trust._

Besides, there was more at stake here than her own life. She needed to determine if this was, indeed, the Replicators' new command center.

_What were they doing here? What were they planning now that their RepliCarter had failed her mission? Were they mobilizing for future attacks on unsuspecting planets? Were all the elders of this planet completely gone, transformed into human-form Replicators? Was this a laboratory of some kind? What was hidden behind these walls – that is, if "these walls" existed. _Her mind was spinning with all these questions and concerns. _How could she escape and get all this intel back to SGC?_

_SGC …_ Her mind stilled and images of Jack and Daniel and Teal'c broke the gloom. Her CO and her team - they had been through so much together. _Was Jack safe?_ _How did he manage to neutralize her Replicator self? What a horrible experience that must have been. What were they doing now? Did they realize what had happened to her? _

She felt stronger as she realized that she wasn't alone. _She would never be alone. __No matter where they were, they were thinking of her. She knew this, in her mind and in her heart._

She never felt a more powerful connection to her comrades._ She would fight this present evil, and live to see them again. _

Her thoughts were interrupted by the shadow of Fifth looming over her.


	13. Chpt 13 Follow the Yellow Brick Road

**Head Trip - Chapter 13 "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"**

With the discovery of the main road leading into the citadel, their plans had changed.

Now they traveled in single-file formation, with O'Neill taking point, Daniel behind him, and Teal'c covering their six. After weighing the risk, Jack felt they could proceed at a more rapid pace if they hugged the incline and used the trench as a footpath. Should any traffic or threat appear on the highway above, they were prepared to either flatten themselves against the slope or sweep back into the tall grass, only a couple meters away. Since they had better footing on the more solid terrain, it allowed them to gain some valuable distance.

After several hours, and no activity whatsoever from the road, O'Neill relaxed into a less intense gait with SG-1 following his lead. As the sun turned orange and began to sink beneath the waves of green grass in the distance, the wind began to pick up. Jack adjusted the collar of his jacket. _This really could be Kansas … but I'm in no mood to find any tin men!_

The vivid sunset soon dissolved into the purple shades of night. The men continued to trek on for another few kilometers, stopping only to put on the night-vision goggles they had brought with them. Jack had not initially planned to undertake a night rescue, but thought it best to come prepared for all contingencies. He was glad, now, of his foresight.

Suddenly, Teal'c gripped Daniel's shoulder, motioning him to stop and placing his fingers on his lips. Daniel, in turn, sent the same silent message to O'Neill. All three soldiers leaned their backs into the slope, and dug their heels into the trench. With their P90s raised, they waited. The now still night air was broken by a distant sound, some type of rattling and humming. As the droning and grating came closer, it became an all-too-familiar noise. The men braced themselves, as the highway, only three meters above their heads, seemed to come alive with the traffic of mechanical replicators. Gravel and sand rained down on the soldiers' upturned faces as the procession passed. Within a matter of minutes, it was all over.

As the ominous clatter receded, O'Neill scrambled up the incline with his binoculars and looked at the departing column. The bugs seemed to be dragging and pushing large containers. It was a bizarre sight: the replicators were climbing atop and around the crates – as if they were protecting the contents. Jack slid down to his teammates and described what he had just seen.

_Obviously, with their attention on their valued cargo, the replicators had missed the opportunity for a fresh meal!_

The sudden surge of adrenaline having served its purpose, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c now realized that their exhausted bodies needed to rest and prepare for tomorrow's assault. If luck continued to stay with them, they should be able to reach the citadel even earlier than originally planned.

Teal'c volunteered for first watch. Daniel curled up within the confines of the deep, velvety grass and was asleep within minutes.

Still unable to release his edginess, Jack sat alone with his thoughts, _his thoughts of Sam_. Replaying the same scene over and over in his mind, he saw her face as she pleaded with him to leave her when all hope seemed gone.Their eyes had locked, and her words still haunted him. _"Sir, there's no time … sir, just go!"_

_Sir …._

There were only two times in his life when Jack O'Neill felt time stand still. _Once, when he looked into the eyes of his dying son. And, once, years later, when he looked into the eyes of the woman he loved._


	14. Chpt 14 Welcome

**Head Trip - Chapter 14 "Welcome"**

She raised her head and smiled.

"I've been waiting for you."

Fifth took a step back and tried to comprehend this greeting. He had expected Carter to cower in his presence_. Yes, she did not reveal her mind to him during the last probe, but he knew, from his own exhaustion, that the ordeal had been physically grueling and painful. Why was she smiling at him? Didn't she realize the danger?_

Sam extended her hands, motioning to Fifth to help her up. He hesitated, and then slowly reached forward, grasped her arms, and pulled her from the floor. Before he released her, she had managed to grab both his upper arms as she balanced herself. Her touch was not aggressive, nor angry_. It was he who was feeling off balance …._

He did not take his eyes from her as she spun around and asked "What is this really all about? How do you have the power to create human life from these metal blocks?"

_She seemed strangely excited by her surroundings, and, this, in turn, excited him. It was as if he were standing here, once again, with his beloved. But, no … those hopes were dashed on the planet Earth … her commander saw to that._

As if reading his mind, Carter touched Fifth's arm gently, looked deeply into his eyes, and asked: "What happened to your sister? Was she a product of your love for me?" Her eyes shone with tears as she softly added: "Did you want me that much?"

Fifth was speechless. He could feel his anger and hatred dissipating under her tender touch and caring eyes. _The woman who had captured his heart from the first moment he had entered her mind on Halla seemed to be returning to him … reaching out to him in compassion …._

He looked away, and, as his mind tried to fathom what was happening, the Replicator's darker emotions regained control. A sudden rage possessed him as he turned and threw Sam against the wall.

"Stop! What are you doing to me?!" These were the last words Sam heard before she lost consciousness, as Fifth, once again, plunged his hand into her head.

_The game now began in earnest._


	15. Chpt 15 Confrontation

**Head Trip - Chapter 15 "Confrontation"**

The rage drove him into the depths of her mind. He was feeling his own pain as he sought to cause hers. _He did not know what to believe anymore._

Sam was being propelled farther and farther into the recesses of her mind. _Pain had now become her only reality._ Dimly, she knew it must continue to be her only focus; she dared not think of anyone or anything until she could find the strength to summon the only image she wanted Fifth to see.

Fifth felt more power than ever before. It was feeding on his maniacal desire to strip Carter of all her memories, her thoughts. She would not retreat to safety this time. He was in fast pursuit. _There were blurred landscapes and figures – the speed of the chase did not allow them to take form in his mind. _

It was as if her whole body were being tossed and turned in a vast windstorm, slamming into other bodies and objects which sped by so quickly that she could not grab on. _She desperately wanted to anchor herself to someone or something._ And, yet, in her agony, her mind was still able to warn her of the danger of doing just that_. She must keep Fifth out!_

He felt as if he were careening down a vortex. This was a new sensation_. It exhilarated him to feel, not only like the hunter in pursuit, but also, the hunted._ As he tried to grasp Sam's distorted memories and thoughts, he began to feel drawn, more and more, by some mysterious force as it exerted its gravitational pull on him.

Sam was moving _through_ the pain once again, as she had the first time. Only, this time, she knew that she had to bring Fifth with her. She had to bring him to her safe place so that she could show him what he must see. She had rehearsed this scene in her mind for hours before his return; _it was the only image that could release her from his control_. Breaking through the pain, she stilled her mind for the final confrontation.

Fifth suddenly felt as if all resistance were gone. He had finally managed to overcome the barriers that Carter had been setting in his way. The pace of the hunt diminished … _his mind was linking to hers_ … good … _the moment of truth_ … he would gain access to her thoughts, her memories ….

Sam was waiting for him to come. He was not expecting the welcome he received.

Sam turned as he approached, and moved quickly to his side. _Taking his face in her hands, she drew him to her and kissed him._ He stepped back, in disbelief, but her smile told him that this was true.

_He had not lost his beloved._


	16. Chpt 16 Seduction

**Head Trip – Chapter 16 "Seduction"**

They were in a lush, green garden. Sam never looked more beautiful. She was dressed in a flowing, diaphanous gown which reached to her bare feet. Sunlight framed her long golden hair and emphasized her electric blue eyes. She took his hand, and they walked through a vivid landscape of colorful flowers. There was a feeling of tranquility – so different from the urgency and speed of his pursuit.

_With that one kiss, his rage had dissolved_. In awe of her beauty, Fifth allowed himself to be led. His senses came alive to the fragrance of the flowers, the sounds of the birds and insects, the feel of her hand in his …

Sam continued to concentrate on creating this one idyllic scene, this one landscape of peace and trust, where she could capture Fifth in her mind. _She did not waver in her intention to focus solely on winning his heart. _

Hand in hand they walked, and, then, Sam turned and embraced him. _He felt safe in her arms; he felt wanted._ As she looked into his eyes, she kissed him once again. He could feel the press of her lips and the beating of her heart as they held each other close.

He knew that First was wrong, that he was right. _If_ _this be humanity, then he celebrated these emotions of the heart. He wanted to be human. _Now, more than ever, he wanted this woman at his side.

_Sam could feel his surrender._ She leaned her head on his shoulder, and whispered "I will not leave you this time." And, then, enticingly, "There are so many worlds to conquer."

Fifth was beside himself with joy. _She wanted to be with him as much as he desired her. Yes, they would conquer brave new worlds together!_

"Show me your world." The intensity of her words drew him back to her face.

Now, he took her hand and led her into his mental landscape of reality.

It was a sterile, monochromatic world filled with images of his brethren, both mechanical and human, busily organizing and gathering themselves in what seemed to be some type of laboratory. There were rows of cube-like containers. Briefly, she saw an image of herself – her replicated self – stepping forth. Then she saw a large map of many planets, many galaxies, along with scrolls of codes and gate addresses. Next, she saw the original elders as they welcomed First and Fifth into their circle of wisdom. What came afterwards seemed a kind of holocaust: the mechanical replicators swarming out and over the planet, hoarding its human inhabitants into a citadel where human-form Replicators selected and stored prisoners behind row upon row of building blocks. She saw mechanical replicators transforming into ships of strange configurations, then dispersing and flying off into the distance ….

Sam met Fifth's eyes as she reaffirmed "There are so many worlds to conquer."

Clutching her to himself, Fifth released both of them from the probe. They slid down the walls of the cell, and collapsed, exhausted, in each other's arms.

Fifth knew that his beloved would be unconscious for some time. He gently placed Sam on her side, brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead, and caressed her cheek. He remembered what he had told her when he she resisted him on Orilla. He thought he could make her love him by pretending to be someone else. _He tried to create a world that she wanted badly enough, a world with him in it. He did not understand fully the ways of the human heart. But he was learning. She could not conceal her true feelings for him now, and she wanted to be in his world, not hers._

He would let her rest and recover. And, then ….

_Fifth felt a new passion, a new sense of purpose, stir within him. _But, before he could share new worlds of conquest with his beloved, he had to remove First from power.


	17. Chpt 17 Complication

**Head Trip – Chapter 17 "Complication"**

Jack had finally fallen into a deep sleep after a mostly restless night. Since his thoughts of Sam prevented his slumber early in the night, he relieved Teal'c by taking second watch. Daniel seemed to be sleeping so peacefully that O'Neill hated to wake him, as originally planned, and allowed the younger man to take the third, and final watch into the early morning hours.

The sneezing woke him up.

Jack turned towards the sound, eyes opening slowly, adjusting to the creeping daylight.

"Daniel? Is that you?"

A muffled snort and another fit of sneezing provided the answer. Of all the team members, Daniel Jackson was the most susceptible to the environment of the planets they explored. It sounded as if his night in this pastoral setting had triggered a severe allergic reaction.

"Umm … sorry, Jack … ah, ah …." Again, another round of sneezes exploded beyond the sea of tall grass.

"It seems that Daniel Jackson is having some type of difficulty with his sinus cavities," suggested Teal'c, lying a short distance from Jack.

"Ya think?!"

Jack forced his aching body up, and moved to the grassline to see just what was happening. He wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him. Poor Daniel was surrounded by a mound of sodden tissues and leaning back against the incline of the road. His eyeglasses were lying at his feet, as he continuously wiped at his running eyes and nose. His face was swollen and blotchy.

"Jack, this just hit me … I don't know what could be the culprit …" the wheezing man barely croaked as he blew his nose and another paroxysm of sneezes shook his body.

By now, Teal'c, too, had emerged from the grass and was observing the rapidly deteriorating condition of his teammate.

"Daniel, do you require assistance with your medication?"

Daniel motioned Teal'c to the side compartment of his backpack and soon the Jaffa was supplying a canteen of water and several white pills, along with some type of nasal spray. Jack continued to watch the highway for any sign of activity, especially now that the bright morning sun had broken through the hazy clouds of dawn. He was concerned about the severity of this allergic attack and even more concerned about Daniel's ability to recover quickly.

Daniel gulped down the offered pills and, after one more forceful blow of the nose, applied the nasal spray. It took several minutes, but the meds started to calm his symptoms and the stricken soldier was able to look at his two worried friends and reassure them.

"Thank God for antihistamines. I never leave home without them."

"Daniel, how soon do you think you'll be ready to travel?" asked a worried CO.

"Jack, honestly, just give me about another five-ten minutes, and I'll be good to go."

O'Neill would have been more reassured if the somewhat shaky response was not followed by a sneeze. However, after several minutes passed, the worst seemed to be over. In another ten minutes, the team was almost ready to go. Jack gave the marching order.

"Okay, time to move out. Keep to the side of the road, same formation as last night: I'll take point; Daniel next; Teal'c - you bring up the rear. ETA 10:00 hours. We'll reconnoiter later, about a klick from the citadel. Let's hope we don't meet any more tin men."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow; Daniel collected his tissues, and Jack started to think about just what may be waiting for them on the road ahead ….


	18. Chpt 18 Power

**Head Trip – Chapter 18 "Power"**

The cavernous laboratory hummed with activity. Mechanical replicators crawled up and down the walls, transporting material from the large containers which were slowly moving on massive conveyor belts which crossed the floor. All the walls, ceiling and floor were composed of building blocks, similar to those found in Sam's cell and on Replicator ships. An overhead lighting system cast a bluish tinge over the entire area. The walls rose three levels high, and there were walkways in front of the rows of cells on each level.

In fact, this was a multi-tiered prison. The elders of Alleria, the final survivors of this planet, were encased within each of these prison _cubes_ – awaiting their transformation into human-form Replicators and, eventually, their deportation for colonization on other planets. The Allerians were blessed with a fruitful, agrarian society. They had the misfortune, however, of possessing the key element of Replicator regeneration, neutronium. Since leaving Orilla, the Replicators had been in search of a stable supply, and Alleria had served their purpose quite well. Soon, though, the neutronium would be depleted. A fresh supply and a new base of operations would be needed. Scouting ships were now exploring other possibilities.

First was standing in an observation tower, overseeing the activity below. More human-form Replicators sat behind him, in front of a panel of data screens, monitoring the transfer of the neutronium from the containers into the cube-like rooms. At the far end of the control room was a large three-dimensional map which constantly changed settings: planets and moons of one galaxy slowly spun, soon to replaced by new orbs and other galaxies. To the right of the planetary map was a large monolith containing Gate addresses and corresponding names of planets. The Replicator in charge of the monolith was able to add to this scroll by typing new data into a computer mainframe. As the Allerian minds were probed, the Replicators gained more and more information on Gate travel and locations. The monolith now contained these data.

Fifth approached as First commanded and directed the unloading and transfer of the neutronium. Within a moment, he was standing by the leader's side. Not taking his eyes from the operation going on below, First inquired: "Were you successful this time?"

"Yes, she has weakened and has given me valuable information on Gate travel and Tauri weapons systems," Fifth lied.

At this, First turned and scrutinized the younger man. Finally, he offered a slight nod of approval. "Good. Now come with me."

The two Replicators were beamed down to the first level and Fifth accompanied First into each holding cell as he examined the Allerians who were to be replicated. The elders were in some type of suspended animation, their frozen faces peering out from their cubed confinement. Fifth's mind remembered how Carter had stared back at him when she was being punished. But that thought was soon replaced by how Sam had looked in his last mind probe, how she had held him and kissed him ...

"Fifth, did you hear me? I said that we are getting some favorable reports back from the scouting expeditions, and I have been plotting possible new landing sites. Since time is of the essence, I have decided to travel to the most choice sites for an initial look around. Now that you have made a breakthrough with your prisoner, you should be free to take charge while I'm away. It should just be a few days. Are you up to the task?"

Fifth turned and smiled. "Yes. Go and do what must be done. All will be well."

He could not believe his good fortune. First's absence would give him the needed time to formulate a plot to overthrow the pompous old fool. _Of course he was up to the task! He, alone, was the most capable of ruling over his brethren. He, alone, was the most human of all of them. He would make the most wise and respected leader. They would see … he would prove himself to his remaining brothers and sisters while First was away._

But, now, it was time to attend to his beloved.


	19. Chpt 19 Walls

**Head Trip – Chapter 19 "Walls"**

She awoke, alone, totally spent from the effort she had exerted to convince Fifth that she cared for him and would be loyal to his cause. _She had to reach into her own mind and create a reality that was almost the exact opposite of who she saw herself to be._ She did not choose this duplicitous plan readily. In the end, however, it seemed the only path to her survival, and, quite possibly, the survival of her planet as well.

Even now, as she lay alone in this cold chamber, she could not be sure that her mind game, her portrayal, had convinced him. She vaguely remembered their moments in the garden, her final kiss and embrace, her tempting words to _show me your world_. What seemed more clear to her was the picture of a Replicator world filled with activity and plans of domination. _New worlds to conquer._ _Did she, indeed, gain access to Fifth's mental landscape? _From the images in her mind, now, it did seem so … but she would only know the truth of her situation when her captor returned.

_There were feelings as well._ It seemed that Sam had not only felt Fifth's excitement and eagerness to pursue missions of conquest, but she also felt something more sinister: his building anger and antagonism towards First. _If these memories were accurate, then this animosity towards the Replicator leader could possibly serve her well._ She needed to find a way out of this cell, discover what lay beyond these four walls, and then find a way to escape. By fueling Fifth's insubordination, she would possibly gain more freedom herself.

She was tired and despondent. _She felt as if her own world had been turned upside down._

There were rules in Carter's world. Even in chaos, there were certain principles that still applied and reassured. This is where Sam was best at her game.

Sam Carter was a scientist and a soldier. Her world, until coming to this planet, was a world of theory and logic, cause and effect. Her brilliant mind could take any mathematical query and reduce it to its simplest factors; likewise, she could take the physical laws of nature and extrapolate and predict future consequences. She was confident in the power of her mind, her power to determine the null hypothesis or the proof positive of whatever reality with which she wrestled. Likewise, she was sure of herself in the field; she knew how to use the weapons of war, and she was learning how to lead in battle. She could trust her mind to provide solutions based on the military knowledge she had acquired.

Here, on this Replicator-infested planet, all bets were off. _In order to save herself, Sam had to move from the world of her mind to the world of her heart._ _By seducing Fifth, Sam had managed to hide her most vulnerable and cherished memories from his probe. She was good at this kind of deception …._

For years, Samantha Carter had survived (quite nicely, thank you) in the mental realm of theories and computations. She had managed to build psychological walls, block upon block like the walls in this cell, to hide behind when the affairs of her heart threatened to upset the logic and order of her mind. The walls began early, with the loss of her mother and the subsequent unavailability of her father. Later, she learned to erect them higher and stronger when feelings of unrequited love haunted her. _She had finally met a man who was just as skilled as she at building these walls of defense - walls which could seal out the heartfelt emotions of loss, and desire, and love._ In many ways, they were two kindred, and wounded, spirits. They were also two comrades in arms, two friends who would never deliberately jeopardize their military careers because of their unsanctioned feelings for each other.

_Jack O'Neill and Sam Carter were master builders._ Jack's walls rose higher and stronger as Sam's feelings of love for him increased. And, as O'Neill became more unavailable, Carter, in turn, constructed ever higher and stronger defenses of her own.

_The walls they built seemed impenetrable._ There were no doors or windows to let someone in or out.

Just like the walls of Sam's cell.


	20. Chpt 20 Heartfelt

**Head Trip – Chapter 20 "Heartfelt"**

Daniel knew he was in trouble. The itching was increasing, and, more ominously, he could feel the swelling in his hands and feet which told him that he was succumbing to another allergic reaction which required more medication. He did not want to hold up the pace of their last few hours so he deliberately kept plodding ahead, hoping that no one would notice a bit of awkwardness to his step.

Jack was moving fairly rapidly, encouraged by the fact that they had not encountered any further disruptions along the highway. The road and the surrounding countryside seemed deserted. It appeared that the Replicators had, once again, invaded and taken over a non-hostile civilization. From what he had seen in the "circle of wisdom", this was a highly civilized and peace-loving planet_. Had all the Allerians succumbed to Fifth and his menacing bugs?_ O'Neill hoped to soon find out. His immediate concern, however, was finding Sam and extracting her from the citadel. There were no other buildings at the crest of the hill which they were fast approaching, and it seemed that this would be the most likely spot to hold a prisoner. Perhaps the city, itself, lay beyond the hill; that is, what was left of the city and its inhabitants. _If only they had been able to stop this, once and for all, on their original mission to Halla! Those damn bugs just kept getting bigger and smarter! _

Teal'c continued to survey the rear as they made their way to their final destination. He kept the wave disrupter tethered to his side, ever mindful that it could not be used without signaling Fifth and his brethren of a breach in security.

By 10:00 hours, the team had positioned themselves approximately one klick away from the luminous stronghold. Its reflection of the bright mid-morning sun was almost blinding. Jack could not identify any points of entry because of the glare. The men, by now, had left the side of the roadway and had returned to the refuge of the tall grass. O'Neill motioned for them to unfasten their gear and quietly crouch in front of him. As Daniel bent down, he winced from the pain of the hives which had now broken out over most of his body.

"Daniel, you appear to be in some type of distress," noted Teal'c with a penetrating gaze.

"I seem to have another problem with my allergies," the young archaeologist apologetically offered. He held out his hands, revealing fingers swollen to twice their size. He then rolled up his pants to find massive welts running across his lower legs.

Jack's first reaction was anger. "For cryin' out loud, why the hell didn't you say something on the trail?"

"Because reaching Sam is more important than stopping to medicate myself," came the humane reply.

By now, Daniel was struggling with the flaps of his backpack, trying to get to the needed pills and creams for treatment. His swollen fingers, however, were not making it easy. Teal'c reached forward and, once again, helped his needy comrade.

This time, a more powerful regimen was called for. As Teal'c opened the bottles of antihistamines and analgesics (to relieve the pain of the swelling), Daniel, in his agony, quickly reached for both. Unfortunately, his clumsy fingers ended in spilling the contents to the ground. The many white pills intermingled and slid beneath the blades of the deep grass. By now, Daniel was shaking from the pain and the exhaustion of the past few hours' trek. He slid to his knees, frantically searching for the answer to his distress. As he thrashed at the grass, he hindered himself even more by losing his eyeglasses. He could feel the swelling reaching inside his throat and knew that he now had to take immediate action. Finding a handful of pills, he thrust them into his mouth and swallowed hard, before his throat would close. Teal'c grabbed his agitated friend and quickly sat him down, trying to calm him and assist with a canteen of water. After a few anxious minutes, the danger seemed to pass, and the stricken scientist began to breathe more freely.

"Daniel, are you gonna be okay?" O'Neill, for all his previous bluster and impatience, was truly alarmed at the condition of his teammate. He gently retrieved Daniel's eyeglasses from the grass and, in a rare moment of tenderness and concern, found himself cleaning and wiping the lenses before he returned them to their shaken owner.

"Here, put these on, space monkey. Have the pills helped? How are you doing?"

Daniel, all color drained from his face, took a few more sips of water and adjusted his glasses before replying.

"Look, guys, I'm so sorry to give you such a scare. I can't explain it myself. There's something on this planet that is wreaking havoc with my system. The sneezing fit was something that I'm used to, but this attack of hives was something I haven't experienced in years."

"Let us hope that your epidermis once again becomes dormant for a lengthy duration," consoled Teal'c as he collected whatever remaining pills he could find.

As the team stayed hidden, a sudden hum made them all look upward. No threat hovered above, so Jack grabbed his binoculars and peered through the grass at what seemed to be a large Replicator ship rising from the confines of the citadel. It was very similar to the ship in which Fifth had escaped on Orilla.

_Jack's heart fell as he realized that Sam might be on that ship._ But, as quickly as that disturbing thought entered his mind, it was replaced by another, more hopeful, awareness. _It was as if Sam were here by his side, reassuring him of her presence. He saw her in his mind, safe and within reach. He thought he heard her saying "I will survive."_

O'Neill followed the flight of the ship until it disappeared in the distant clouds. His friends looked at him, mirroring his original concern.

"Omigod, Jack, what if Sam were on that ship?" murmured Daniel.

"She is in the citadel," came the confident and firm response.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me, I just _know_."

* * *

"_Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait point." – Blaise Pascal_


	21. Chpt 21 Collaboration

**Head Trip – Chapter 21 "Collaboration"**

_I will survive._

Three simple words kept fueling Carter's determination to find a way out of her prison. She now searched around her cell, once again, to see if there were any physical means of escaping. Her fingers pushed at the tiny silver blocks but felt only a hard, cold resistance. The floor and ceiling were made of the same material, and there was nothing protruding to allow her to climb one of the walls to examine the blue light which was somehow illuminating her cubicle from above. The bluish color added to the chill in the room, and she shivered. Fifth had taken her watch when she was first captured, and between the disorientation from the two mind probes and the solitary confinement, she had lost a realistic sense of time. It could be five hours or five days since this nightmare began.

What did remain real, however, was her strong effort to conceal her own mind from her captor and her attempt to enter his mental landscape. From the images that kept repeating themselves now, it seemed that she had managed to succeed.

Soon the game would be taken to a new and dangerous level. When Fifth returned, his actions would tell her if she had gained his trust. _And, then, Sam Carter would have to continue the charade by acting as if she were in love with him._

Sam was uncomfortable playing this role. _It seemed like a cruel reminder of what her own life was missing._

Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter lived in a world of men. For years, she had tried hard to meet their standards: first, entering the air force in her father's footsteps, and, then, using her scientific mind and military training to gain a position with the SGC. Often being the only female, she had learned to _think_ _masculine_ in many ways. She had honed her linear, analytical skills, while mastering the art of combat. It was a long, and often lonely road to gain acceptance by her manly peers. In the end, however, she had earned their respect, and the men who served with her were proud to have her by their side. She was now being rewarded by a promotion in rank and responsibility. _A leader among men._ Yes, there were female officers in the service, but, except for Dr. Janet Fraiser, Sam had never become a member of that sisterhood. The most important people in her life continued to be her male comrades, and her closest ties were forged in the thick of battle with her own SG-1 teammates. _She would give her life unquestioningly for them, just as they would do for her._

After many years, she had now come to a point in her life where she felt more free and more in control of her own destiny. She no longer needed to prove herself to anyone. Her occasional moments of self doubt were few and far between. She was confident in her own professional ability to get the job done, no matter how dangerous nor difficult a task lay ahead. As a soldier and a scholar, she liked who she had become. Sam Carter was at the top of her game, physically and intellectually.

_But years of proving herself to the male establishment had taken an emotional toll._ Her survival skills taught her that objectivity and critical thinking were favored over feelings. So she did what any good soldier would do; she buried the longings and desires of her heart and followed the military rules of engagement at all times. _She kept those few moments of human passion hidden beneath a layer of protocol and duty, remembering her CO's mutual agreement to "leave it in the room"._ It was a male model, and it served her well.

She had not even realized how well, until Fifth had invaded her mind on Orilla and fashioned an image of what he thought to be her desire for love, for security. When the Replicator had appeared to her as a lover, she had rejected him and his false reality. _What Fifth never knew, and what she realized at that moment of intense encounter, was_ _that_ _she had buried her true feelings so deep that she managed to hide her most cherished secret, the true identity of the man she loved._

Her captor returned bearing gifts.

Fifth quietly slipped into the room and gazed at his beloved. She was standing, with her head resting against the wall, looking pensive and sad. _Did she miss him?_ He would have liked to watch her like this forever, unguarded and unaware. He wanted to feel her love once again, to dispel any doubts now that they were out of the probe. The touch of her hand, the whisper of her lips on his, still burned in his memory …

But there was work to be done. He would tend to her immediate needs, then take her with him to the control room. First had already left, with a contingent of their brethren, to explore possible relocation sites. The final transfer of the neutronium into the holding cells was almost completed. _He wanted to show his beloved the wonder of it all._ He was in command and would be the one to replicate their newest brothers and sisters, the final act of creation on this planet. _He wanted her by his side, to celebrate with him_.

"Samantha, I bring you food and drink."

She turned and smiled warmly. He set the tray on the floor, and Sam welcomed him into her arms. Her kiss was warm upon his lips; her eyes shone bright and inviting. His heart felt as if it would burst with joy.

Once again, she managed to hide her reality, her innermost secrets.

_I will survive._


	22. Chpt 22 Murphy's Law

**Head Trip – Chapter 22 "Murphy's Law"**

General Jack O'Neill turned his attention to the readiness of his teammates for the undertaking that lay ahead. He could see that Daniel's latest bout with his allergies had left him weak and shaken, even though the young man insisted that he was "good to go". Teal'c, on the other hand, was battle ready and fully alert.

"Daniel, I'm going to reconnoiter the perimeter and Teal'c will stand guard here with the wave disrupter. We don't want to be surprised by any more unexpected parades on the highway. It's been quiet since daybreak, so I think one guard will do fine. Why don't you try to stretch out and get some rest? From his position along the trench, 'T' can cover us both." Teal'c nodded in agreement.

"Jack, let me go with you … two of us can cover twice the ground twice as fast," pleaded the somewhat recovered archaeologist as he determinedly hoisted his backpack to his shoulders.

O'Neill knew time was a factor now that they had reached their target. He wanted to survey all sides of the citadel, assessing possible threat levels and points of entry. _Daniel was right; he could use another pair of eyes and feet to make this go as quickly as possible._

"Okay, Daniel, but chuck the pack. We need to travel light and swift: weapons, radios, and binoculars only. The rest of the gear can stay hidden here." Following the command, Daniel dropped his backpack into the grass, and retrieved the only necessity that he could not afford to be without – his allergy pills. In fact, he popped a few more into his mouth, just to forestall any future attacks.

Jack was busy checking his ammo, and only Teal'c watched as his comrade took the additional meds. He raised an eyebrow in concern. _Did not Daniel Jackson realize that those pills had been mixed together when they fell? Was he quite sure of what he was taking?_ Even with his better eyesight, Teal'c had trouble differentiating the two strong medications when he retrieved them earlier from the grass. He had assumed that Daniel would sort them once he recovered from the severe attack. The way he had gulped down the initial dose seemed to control the swelling and lessen the symptoms, but … _just how much of the antihistamines had Daniel consumed?_ Teal'c looked at his comrade and was about to speak when Jack interrupted.

"Come on, Daniel, let's move out!"

Daniel brushed past Teal'c as he followed Jack's lead, the two men once more hugging the incline at the side of the road with assault weapons up and ready.

_Funny,_ thought Jack, _a beautiful day for a picnic._ _Ants on a blanket seemed so welcomed compared to the bugs that lay ahead._

The men moved rapidly and were soon approaching the citadel. Jack motioned for Daniel to halt, as he crawled up the embankment for a better look at the building. Raising his binoculars, he saw that the glare was caused by the stronghold's metallic surface which, from this vantage point, appeared impenetrable. There were no visible means of entrance, no doors nor windows, just row upon row of shining metal.

"Damn! We need a giant pair of wire cutters!"

"Excuse me?" came the reply as Daniel looked up at his disgruntled leader.

Jack scowled back. "The whole building looks like an Erector set!"

As he scrambled back down the slope, Jack decided on a plan of action. "Daniel, we know that those large cargo containers had to go somewhere … maybe there's a back door to this operation. You take the left side; I'll push forward and come around the right. Let's see what's in the backyard. I'll cover you now as you cross the road; stick close to the trench, and get to the rear as fast as you can. No matter what you find, draw back and wait for me to appear from the other end. I'll signal you when I turn the corner. Got that?"

Daniel shook his head in agreement, and cautiously climbed the incline with Jack matching his every movement. Once they determined that there was no activity of any kind on the highway or in front of the citadel, Jack gave the signal and Daniel sprinted across the roadway and jumped down the far slope.

O'Neill continued to advance in the trench on his side of the highway, working his way to the right end of the building. As he drew nearer, he realized that the incline was receding and he was soon almost level with the road. _Just what I need … might as well hang a bull's-eye on my shirt. _

When he darted across the gravel roadway, Jack observed that the road turned left with him and seemed to circle the building. Bracing his back against the gleaming side of the stronghold, even though he knew the risk, _Jack was ready to follow this yellow brick road right into its final destination._ He knew that he was about to find his one opening, one chance, to gain access to the citadel. What he didn't know, at that very same moment, was that his lethargic teammate was having some trouble arriving at the same destination.

The fast pace of their trek, and Daniel Jackson's sudden dash across the highway, had begun to take its toll. As his adrenaline rush began to fade and the side effects of way too many antihistamines began to mount, Daniel started to get very, very drowsy. He vaguely remembered that Jack had given him an order to reconnoiter the rear of this building. But new, more pleasant sensations forced themselves upon his waning consciousness. The glittering metal blocks reflected the warmth of the late-morning sun. They felt so cozy against his back as he moved cautiously towards the corner. The bright sun warmed his face as the comforting heat of the building warmed his back. He found himself a bit woozy and chuckled at his sudden loss of coordination. _Oh, what the heck … just slide down here a moment … take a short break … feels so warm … so nice … so tired …. _

Jack rounded the corner quickly, hand on the trigger of his P90. Yes, he did not want to shoot if at all possible, but he also felt that he would now be close enough to Carter to take that risk if it happened. His hunch had been right – the worn tracks of the gravel highway traveled halfway down the back of the building and then turned in. He had expected to see Daniel coming up from the other direction and was surprised by his absence. Perhaps he had already scouted the position, and returned to the far side. Jack waited a few more minutes, his eyes on the corner where Daniel was to have appeared.

Reaching for his radio, he whispered "Daniel, come in." No answer. Once more, "Daniel, come in. What's your position?" His urgent inquiries were met with silence.

Teal'c scanned the highway once again, noting that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A fly buzzed around the Jaffa's nose and, as he swatted the insect away, his radio came to life.

"Teal'c, come in. Have you heard from Daniel?"

"No, O'Neill. All is most quiet at this end. Do you require my assistance?"

"I think we may have a problem. Make sure our gear is concealed and move forward with the rest of the ammo and explosives. Keep the wave disrupter ready to fire, but don't fire without my order. I found my point of entry at the rear of the citadel. I'm now going to draw back to Daniel's suspected position. Advance quickly along the slope of the highway; when you get within 50 meters of the citadel, cross the road and proceed to the left side of the building. That's where we should find Daniel. I don't know what happened to him. Be aware and be prepared. I'll meet you there."

Teal'c advanced as ordered, while Jack retraced his steps.

_Daniel, on the other hand, was peacefully dreaming of ancient tombs and artifacts …._


	23. Chpt 23 Access

**Head Trip – Chapter 23 "Access"**

In the end, her release was a fairly simple procedure. Fifth placed his hand on the wall of her cell and the tiny replicator blocks began to shimmer and dissolve into liquid pools, reminding Sam of her captor's own ability to transform and regenerate his human form.

As they stepped through the portal, they were met by the hostile stares of three Replicators in what appeared to be a main control room. Sam could not help but notice its strange similarity to the SGC: banks of computer screens and a three-dimensional map of planetary systems along with a large window which seemed to look out upon some type of storage facility.

The most novel attraction was an imposing monolith which contained a scroll-like device that seemed to be continually changing data. Sam suspected that the Replicator seated at a computer closest to the monolith was transferring code from the mainframe into the monolith.

Fifth, now in command, spoke firmly and quickly to his suspicious brethren: "Our prisoner is no longer a threat; she is completely under my control. Do not bother yourselves with our intrusion. I am going to Level One for the final inspection and assimilation of the neutronium. Continue with your duties. The prisoner shall come with me."

With that, Sam was swept into a beam of light and transported to the lowest level of the cavernous storage room with Fifth at her side. The room itself was about the size of a football field, the main floor transected by two huge conveyor belts which were not in operation. Large containers rested silently on the belts. The surrounding walls, ceiling and floor were composed of replicator blocks similar to those found in Sam's cell. She and Fifth were bathed in the now-familiar bluish light which emanated from high above. Sam soon realized that this was much more than a warehouse. Glancing up at the two levels of walkways above her, she knew instinctively that this was some type of prison. She did not have long to wait to find out what these cells contained as Fifth placed his hand upon the first holding cell and its blocks partially dissipated to allow them access.

The cube-like room was identical to her former cell and also brought back chilling memories of her encounter on the Replicator ship at Orilla. _Thank God he can't read my mind now_ Sam thought, as she looked upon the stricken face of one of the surviving elders of Alleria.

"These are the last of the Allerians to become our brethren. They have had the good fortune to live on a planet abundant in neutronium, an important component of the process of transformation."

_So that was what all these huge storage containers were about … shipping and storing neutronium towards the creation of new Replicator life forms. "Good fortune?" Sadly, an innocuous chemical element became a planet's death knell. _Sam forced herself to smile and nod in agreement.

Fifth was pleased that his beloved seemed so interested in his revelation. He continued to explain the process of absorption of the neutronium into the cellular structure of the human being and the eventual "birth" of the new Replicator life form. From what Sam could understand, this seemed to be a bizarre alchemy – an unnatural transgression of sterile machine over living matter. That the Replicators had evolved to such a state meant that they were practically unstoppable. Whole civilizations had become victims to their insatiable appetite, their need to ingest and advance to ever greater states of being.

_The need to survive and reproduce … all programmed into each of these tiny building blocks which surrounded her now and still remained a mystery. God, how she hated these things; how she wished now that the time-dilation device on Halla had been a success._

"When … how long does the process take?" the scientist in her posed a question.

Fifth beamed as he said, "It is quite remarkable, is it not? These on Level One are now ready for assimilation. All of their minds have been probed and data stored. I must now command my brethren to close ranks, so that the final ingestion begins. It will take several days by your calculation of time for our children to be born."

Sam almost lost her composure upon hearing his last words. "_Our _c_hildren to be born?" You sick parasitic son of a bitch!_

Fifth turned and gave a verbal command: "Go forth."

At his words, replicator blocks began whirring and coming to life. Sam watched in horror as a familiar spider-like machine formed and crawled up and over the frozen face of the elder in front of her. In seconds, the woman was completely covered by the blocks which then reincorporated themselves into the wall of the cell. She knew, from the clattering around her, that this was being repeated in each and every cell on the lowest level. As she recoiled from a sudden feeling of panic deep down in her gut, Sam had a trace memory of being suffocated, buried alive. Looking at the blank wall before her, Sam knew what the elder had just experienced._ Sam knew because it had happened to her on Orilla._

It took every ounce of self-control to refrain from reaching out to strangle her enemy. Sam realized that she could not succeed, but the weight of what was happening before her very eyes was almost unbearable to watch. She felt that she was witnessing the execution and extinction of a group of people who had probably, in good faith, welcomed these cunning Replicators into their midst. _She would find a way to avenge their deaths, and her own violation. _

"There is still work to be done on Level Two." With that, Fifth reached for her hand and beamed them up to the second level.

Placing her anger and shock to the back of her mind, Sam began to think and observe more carefully. She was being given a guided tour and must attempt to glean even more information from her smitten captor. What she experienced the next hour told her all she needed to know about how they were finding new locations to replicate. She watched as Fifth walked from cell to cell and completed the mind probes of the prisoners. Because they were encased in their tombs of replicator blocks, there could be no resistance as Fifth thrust his hand into the elders' exposed foreheads. Fifth shared that this knowledge was actually being transmitted into his mind and would then be downloaded into the computer mainframe in the control room. Sam was not quite sure how that was accomplished but hoped to soon find out. She believed that the data eventually appeared on the monolith's screen and, possibly, the planetary map. They were literally stealing the knowledge of this planet before turning these poor souls into Replicator selves. Now she better understood what she had learned in her cell, how First knew where to look for new conquests, new planets that had what he needed.

While they had relaxed and dined on the food he brought to her cell earlier, Fifth told Sam that First and a large contingent of Replicators had left Alleria to determine a possible relocation site. He then proudly announced that he was in charge. She fed his ego by remarking that he should remain in charge, that he should not allow First to degrade and humiliate him any longer. His boyish face brightened at her suggestion and he kissed her impetuously on the cheek. In many ways, he seemed to be nothing more than an immature adolescent, going through his first infatuation and rebellion. _If only it were that simple!_ _But, if she could keep him at that level of desire and need, she might have a chance to fight her way out of this nightmare. _

_She had to find out more about the Replicators' plans and locations. Funny, wasn't that the original mission? "Deceive and detect" … in some strange way, nothing had changed but everything had changed. She was alone on a Replicator-infested planet with no backup, no members of her team covering her six. And how did Jack manage to neutralize her double? Was he injured in the encounter? This was no time to be thinking of Jack …. _

_She wanted to get back to the control room … perhaps there was a way to send some type of signal home … highly doubtful … getting to the Gate was her best hope of survival … she knew it was a good day's journey back … but which way was "back"? The sea of tall grass and no visual sightings or landmarks on such a level terrain would make it difficult to find the Gate. They walked on a gravel road for the last part of the journey to the citadel, and she had tried hard to take note of the direction of the sun as she was prodded along. There may be a map in the control room, showing the location of the Gate. Yes, that was quite possible. If the Replicators came and then dominated this planet, they then had to transport the neutronium from the mines and possibly used the Gate for transporting their newest brethren to other unsuspecting planets. It seemed likely that First would have studied a map of Alleria to best implement his logistics. _

_Somehow she would get Fifth to dismiss the other Replicators or, better yet, distrust and destroy them. She would need to feed his paranoia. If it came down to just Fifth and her in the control room, with none of his human-form "buddies", she might have a chance … she just might have a chance. Finding her P90 would better the odds; she was certain she could handle the mechanical creepy-crawlers or at least die trying._


	24. Chpt 24 Wake Up Call

**Head Trip – Chapter 24 "Wake Up Call"**

"For cryin' out loud … Daniel, wake up!" O'Neill kept his exasperation to a low whisper and firm shake of the sleeping scientist's shoulders as Teal'c bent forward and placed his fingers against the young man's neck.

"His pulse is slow but steady … I believe that Daniel Jackson has ingested a larger amount of medication than is beneficial. He may be asleep for some time."

"What ...!"

"While you were busy preparing for the assault on the citadel, Daniel was seeking additional relief from his troubling allergic reactions. He had two very strong prescriptions which had accidentally intermingled when the pills fell onto the grassland. I am certain that Daniel consumed a copious amount of the antihistamine quite unintentionally in his desperate attempt to ameliorate his grave skin condition. The side effect of such an error would be drowsiness and slumber."

Jack O'Neill straightened and looked from Teal'c to the slouched figure in front of him, "Well, if this isn't a nice ball of wax …."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and looked quizzically at his leader.

"Just a cliché … nothing but a cliché," Jack stammered. His mind was already racing over the immediate problem and change of plans that Daniel's overdose presented. They could not leave their incapacitated comrade unprotected in broad daylight and, yet, even more pressing, he had to get into the building and find Carter! Instead of two men as backup, he would have to go it alone and have Teal'c fall back with Daniel into the safety of the tall grass.

"Teal'c, this is what we're gonna do. Carry Daniel back to our hidden equipment and last position. Make sure that he's comfortable and secure. Leave him with his weapon and radio and, for god's sake, write a note telling him to stay put. Attach it to his glasses! We'll pick him up on our way out with Carter. He can monitor the highway until we return. Then come back here pronto and cover the rear of the building. Keep open-radio contact. If you don't hear from me by 12:00 noon, break down the back door and join the party! Be ready to rock and roll."

"O'Neill you seem to be talking in a language that seems somewhat unfamiliar to me," the trusted Jaffa responded as he handed the wave disrupter over to Jack.

"Come in through the back at the appointed time and be prepared to kick the crap out of some mechanical bugs. I'll take care of the human variety. Be fully armed and ready for action! Is that better?"

At that, Teal'c nodded and hoisted the unconscious body of Daniel Jackson over his broad shoulders while Jack disappeared behind the back of the citadel.

The weight of the wave disrupter added to the weight on Jack's mind. He wanted to get in and get out as quickly and quietly as possible. This was like walking into a lions' den blindfolded. One false move and the whole pride could awaken with a fevered pitch and block his attempts to find Sam. He did not want to open fire with either his P90 or the disrupter device until he had Carter safely in his sight and saw that she was able to join him in his exit strategy.

_And a glorious grand finale it would be_. Jack O'Neill was a walking arsenal: his own weapon, Carter's P90, some Claymores and C4s for _interior decorating_, and the ultimate weapon at hand, the wave disrupter. Once he _deconstructed_ Fifth and his cronies, he knew that the mechanical bugs would not be far behind. He'd then be able to take out some of them with the disrupter, but those basic bugs were just as vulnerable to the less sophisticated and more crude weapons of the Tau'ri.

_Nothing like some good, old-fashioned fireworks. If he was lucky, Jack planned to position all the Claymores and C4s on his way in, and bring this whole freakin' erector set tumbling down on his way out! _


	25. Chpt 25 Command and Control

**Head Trip – Chapter 25 "Command and Control"**

The mind probes on Level Two were excruciating to watch and, yet, Sam knew she had no other alternative. After his extraction of all necessary data from the Allerians, Fifth activated the mechanical bugs once again and sealed the prisoners' fate. He then summoned Sam to his side and prepared to beam them back to the control room.

_On the other hand, what was the purpose of the prison's final level, Level Three? Who were the suffering, sentient beings within those cubed walls? As much as she wanted to return to the control room, Sam felt that she had to know._

Caressing his cheek and gazing longingly into his eyes, she whispered, "My love, I'm in awe of your power and see how you've grown into a fearsome leader, especially now that you're free to do as you choose with these prisoners. I can't help but thinking how good it is for you and our brethren that First is not in control. You're younger and more able to sustain the rigors of these probes, aren't you? Watching you and being with you, I feel a great vitality, an energy that will enable us to shape the future of the many worlds beyond this world." And, with that, she kissed him … passionately.

Fifth seemed surprised at this sudden outpouring of emotion, and his cheeks flushed as their lips parted. She did not take her eyes from him as she continued to stroke his blushing cheek. It was a daring and bold move, but she could not retreat from her overall mission now. So she pushed forward and provocatively said, "How can I help you? I want to help you become the leader you are destined to be. Show me what I can do … perhaps I can be of value on Level Three …."

_There! The words were spoken … will he see through her mind game? Will he sense the hidden insincerity of her saccharine words? She held her breath and waited for his response. _

He gently pushed her away and returned her gaze with a penetrating and questioning look of his own. _Sam did not falter …her very life depended upon the success of this masquerade; not only her life, but the lives of countless others._ She had already promised herself that she would play some small part in stopping this Replicator menace from spreading farther.

A smile slowly crept across his lips, as Fifth said, "Beloved, to hear you speak with such affection and to see your eyes burn with passion gives me a feeling I've never known before. It's as if my heart were overflowing with joy. I feel that I can do anything with you by my side. Together, we will conquer new worlds and bring forth many new children. Come, let me show you the first fruits of my labor …."

Once again, the beam of light swept them both to another level, the final level - Level Three. Sam both feared and welcomed what she now was about to learn.

The procedure here was different. Fifth did not attempt to enter into each individual cell as he did on Level Two. Instead, he issued a loud and forceful command to "Come forth".

Sam could feel a sudden chill run down her spine as she watched the shimmering replicator blocks dissolve into human-form Replicators which emerged and stood attentively in the front of their holding cells. There were 20 … 50 … almost 100 bodies of silent sentinels, the final remnants of Alleria, who were now waiting for Fifth to activate their inert minds and bodies.

"These are mine, Samantha. I have been patterning and training them since their births. _They know only me as their creator._ Before this day is over, they will be ready to be fully activated in my service. When our remaining brethren on Levels One and Two are fully formed, I will let you assist me in the birthing process. Your human wisdom and knowledge will shape them well. You will add much to the act of regeneration. Together, we will be co-creators of our brothers and sisters."

Sam now knew this was the time to strike. She had just hours before a new generation of Replicators would be at Fifth's disposal. She had to reduce her current threat level and make her move soon.

"Fifth, if these are your very own, what is left of First's creations?"

He seemed puzzled by the question, but naively gave her the answer she was seeking, "First has taken his brethren with him to assist in the scouting expedition. Those in the control room are the only remaining … many of our brethren are already situated on several of the appointed planets, awaiting First's arrival and eventual selection of the optimal site for relocation. I have been left in command of this final operation. The neutronium is now depleted and it will take only a week or two to complete the transformation of these three levels."

"_And these will know only you as their creator."_ It was said slowly and deliberately, giving him time to realize the importance of her words. Sam turned and looked into Fifth's eyes once again, feeding the flames of avarice and desire.

_She was walking a very fine line here between escape and annihilation, but Sam was betting that, for all their rapid evolution into human forms, the Replicators still had not mastered the depths and deceptions of the human heart. Fifth was learning, and had learned, from his initial betrayal on Halla … but he was still innocent of her motives … ironically, she felt in control._


	26. Chpt 26 Liberation

**Head Trip – Chapter 26 "Liberation" **

Fifth looked around at the silent Replicators surrounding him and Sam as they stood on the third-level walkway of the citadel. As he clapped his hands, the prisoners stepped back and were reabsorbed into their individual cells.

"Soon, very soon …."

"And then what? Will you allow First to just return here and regain control over what should rightfully be yours?" Sam persisted in goading the Replicator into the realization that his power would be short-lived and limited. She reached for his hand and placed it against her warm cheek.

"Fifth, you have let me into your mind as I've let you into mine. I know the greatness that lies within you and I want to share in what you've become … together we can find our own new worlds, far from First and his brethren. These Allerians, here, in this room are your own creation … _our children_ … we can teach them all they need to know, just as I can continue to teach you the human emotions of love and pleasure. First will never ridicule you again … you'll be safe. Let me help you find these new worlds with the knowledge you've acquired from the prisoners. I can help to map out the coordinates and the directions of our escape. Do you trust me, my love?" Her lips softly brushed across his hand as she looked up at him.

It seemed that everything he had desired was now within his reach, including the beloved whom he thought he had lost. She was standing here pledging her loyalty and aid in overthrowing the bonds that had linked him to those of his brethren who did not really understand, nor care, about the needs of the human heart. He and his beloved would teach their children well; they would teach them that human emotions were not to be feared nor despised, but to be welcomed.

Fifth held Sam to his chest and a tear glistened in his eye. _It was time to begin …time to be free …._

They were beamed directly into the control room where the three remaining Replicators continued to scan the computer monitors and manipulate what seemed to be a three-dimensional map of ever-changing galaxies. Sam was fascinated at the depth of vision on the map which added to the realism of the planets and stars which rotated before her. But she was not able to identify the constellations. Fifth watched his brethren as they continued to eye the woman in their midst suspiciously. He went to one of the computers and thrust his hand into the monitor; Sam observed that massive amounts of data seemed to be spilling onto the screen. She realized, with a start, that Fifth was downloading the memories and knowledge and life histories of the Allerians on Level Two. Soon the scrolling device on the monolith came to life and more and more symbols and codes appeared. Again, Sam concluded that these were the newly acquired Gate addresses. After he had successfully downloaded all he had learned from the Allerians, Fifth removed his hand and called the remaining Replicators to the center of the room.

"Our work on this planet is nearly finished and you must now make a decision. Do you wish to serve me or serve First?"

Sam moved cautiously to the rear and leaned against the wall, scanning the room for anything that resembled a weapon. Before the Replicators could answer, Fifth raised his hand and released a powerful beam of bluish-white light which seemed to vaporize all three. Nothing remained on the floor, no particles of metal, no building blocks. They had vanished completely.

"I knew their answer; I knew what was in their minds. I could see the way they looked at you. They would never have been loyal to me." He extended his hand to Sam and proudly walked her around the control room, explaining the many screens and maps before her. This was, indeed, the Replicators' base of command. Fifth began to show her the coordinates and codes of what he believed to be their best possibilities of escape, of relocation, but Sam needed to know more than his future projections. She had to know the whereabouts of First and the probable relocation sites now being explored. This is the information she wanted to take back with her through the Gate.

_In the end, the captor became the captive._

Sam continued to feed Fifth's almost childlike desire for affection through her physical touch and soft whispers of endearment. She convinced him that it would be safest for them to not only have their own plan of escape, but also have all of First's possible points of relocation so that they were completely sure they were moving far beyond his power and jurisdiction. Fifth and she worked quickly on massive amounts of data and, within an hour, they had successfully covered all contingencies.

Sam now held disk files which were a compendium of Replicator knowledge: plans, coordinates, and Gate addresses. The data revealed galaxies totally unknown to the Tau'ri. She could not believe her good fortune, but felt a pang of guilt and regret. Much of this knowledge was stolen from the minds of the Allerian people, a race of people eliminated by the Replicators' insatiable need to dominate and destroy.

_Somehow, she would not let the Allerians' sacrifice be in vain. She would get this valuable intel into the right hands._ _Thor may be able to find First and eradicate the threat completely if he had the information she had just gained. What did he tell her, years ago, when she first helped him destroy an immediate replicator threat? It was just one of many small victories …. Now, with the wave disrupter, perhaps the tide had turned in their favor. Maybe, with the knowledge she just gained, Thor and the Tau'ri would be able to free themselves, once and for all, of the Replicator menace. _

_Before that freedom could be won, however, she had one more small victory to win - here, in this room, with her own mortal enemy. How would she free herself from Fifth?_

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Thank you all for the kind reviews and I hope you continue to stay with the story. The best is yet to come! _

_For those of you who asked, the English translation for the quote at end of Chapter 20, "Heartfelt", is "the heart __has its reasons of which reason knows nothing." - Blaise Pascal _

_The concept of Replicators' downloading and uploading knowledge directly to a computer via inserting their hands is based on a scene from S8, "Gemini". Credit goes to the writers of that episode. Thank you!_

_Carter is remembering what happened onboard Thor's command ship from S4, "SmallVictories"._

_The Replicator wave disrupter has been referenced primarily from S8, "New Order Part 2". It, and all main characters and the Stargate belong to MGM/Gekko Productions. I intend no copyright infringement whatsoever and am writing this purely for pleasure, not for profit. The story is mine._


	27. Chpt 27 Taking Charge

**Head Trip – Chapter 27 "Taking Charge"**

His adrenaline continued to feed the pace at which he fortified the outlying perimeter with the Claymores. O'Neill then managed to charge along the rear of the citadel and, just as quickly, turn inside the building itself. The back portal was actually a rather large archway which served as the only entrance. Once inside, Jack kept his back to the wall and gun raised as he sized up his surroundings. The room appeared to be a large warehouse of some kind, holding two hefty conveyor belts with recognizable crates all now sitting, empty, upon the inactive machinery. The interior was framed by three rows of cells and walkways and illuminated by a bluish-white glow emanating from the cavernous ceiling high above. Both the silence and the light seemed eerie.

Even more sinister was the dawning recognition that he was now standing on, and surrounded by, the ever threatening replicator building blocks. A chill ran through his back as he gingerly stepped forward and cautiously examined the wall he had been leaning against. Yes, these were the basic building blocks and potential enemy, but they seemed strangely quiet and inert. No alarms were sounding and nothing within the vast space was creating an imminent danger.

_So far, so good … now can I stretch my luck and leave a few calling cards? _O'Neill carefully lay the extra weapons at his feet and proceeded to skirt the inside perimeter of the ground floor, moving rapidly and placing C4 at strategic points along the cells and under the conveyor belts which transected the entire length of the room. As he completed his task, he scanned the room for possible points of entry to the levels above, finding only one stairwell located close to where he had originally set down the other weapons. There seemed to be some type of observation tower with large windows on the third level, oddly reminding him of the Gateroom at SGC.

All the charges were set, allowing for a 30-minute search and rescue of Carter. If things turned sour and extraction did not go well, he would radio Teal'c to blow the Claymores from a distance and allow the whole house of cards to come tumbling down on himself and those nasty bugs.

_If he didn't find Sam alive, he had no reason to save himself. They would leave together or die together in this one last stand with the Replicators._ His gut told him that she was still alive, still here, and he was betting that he would find his answer at the third-floor observation tower.

He was also hoping to settle an old score with the Replicator who began this dangerous game. By invading O'Neill's personal space in that daring act of deceit with the replicated Carter, Fifth had committed a brazen act of hubris. But he had also given Jack a moment of truth – a truth from which he could not shake himself free.

_Jack O'Neill finally realized how much Sam Carter had become a part of his life. She was much more than a comrade in arms and a skilled soldier and scientist; she was the woman whom he had fallen in love with … a long, long time ago. _

Teal'c carried his sleeping teammate back to the safety of the tall grass and deposited him gently on the ground. Daniel stirred slightly but did not awaken. Concerned for his friend, the Jaffa felt his pulse once again and was relieved to detect a slow and steady rhythm. As a final reassurance, Teal'c shook the young man until he murmured and slowly opened his eyes. Kneeling over the groggy scientist, his friend stared deeply into his half-shut eyes and explained what was happening.

"Daniel Jackson, hear me. You will continue to feel very sleepy for the next hour or so, but you are safely hidden within the grass. You have had an adverse reaction to the large amounts of antihistamines which you have consumed. Please do not take any more medication unless absolutely necessary. O'Neill has gone into the citadel to extract Lt. Colonel Carter and I am returning to help them both. Wait here until we return. If you feel able, watch the highway as a precaution . Your weapons, radio, and all remaining gear are at hand. Should you reach a better state of awareness, prepare for a quick departure."

The stricken archaeologist seemed to understand most of the message and nodded slightly before turning on his side and drifting off once again.

"Pleasant dreams, my friend", said his companion as he moved swiftly and stealthily down the highway and soon came to his original point of departure. Teal'c saw that O'Neill had laid the Claymores and awaited a signal from his former commander.

The radio soon crackled, "Teal'c do you read me?"

"Yes, O'Neill, I have returned and am in position at the corner of the building."

"Good. I've set the C4 for 12:00 hours. Slight change in plans. Stay at your mark. Do not follow me. If I can't leave with Carter before the C4 goes, I want you to provide the final pyrotechnics with the Claymores at the same point in time. Then get the hell out of Dodge!"

Teal'c frowned upon hearing this new directive, and was about to oppose when Jack's abrupt "Over and out" nullified what he was about to say. The radio went silent … as silent as the Jaffa whose keen eyes and taut nerves prepared him to hold his appointed line of defense for the moment, but not for the duration of time his comrade had commanded.

If his friends did not appear at the exit of the citadel within the next fifteen minutes, he would, indeed, enter and engage any enemy in order to save them.


	28. Chpt 28 Search and Find

**Head Trip – Chapter 28 "Search and Find"**

Sam was busy interfacing the knowledge she had gained from the monolith database with the three-dimensional map of the galaxies. Her sharply honed scientific skills were now being used to plot various trajectories and elliptical paths through the stars and planets that spun before her eyes.

As Fifth had showed her how to download the remaining Gate addresses and Allerian data, he seemed in awe of her ability to comprehend the technology. She, too, had been somewhat surprised at the ease with which she took to the task. _Staying alive creates a surge of adrenaline which not only awakens the body, but the brain as well!_

She knew this was the last agenda and that, soon, Level Three would be coming alive with the final Replicators which would pledge allegiance to Fifth. He would collect his brethren and fly both her and them to a distant galaxy to begin the process of conquest and survival all over again. Only, this time, she would be farther away than ever from her own world with all chances of rescue or escape proving even more remote and improbable.

_She had to free herself of Fifth now … where was the location of the Allerian Gate?_ _The map had to be stored on one of the data disks which they had downloaded … she just needed time to search._ _And where was her weapon?_ _She needed time alone, time to sort her thoughts and formulate an escape plan. Would Fifth leave her alone in the control room?_

As if aware of her thoughts, Fifth approached from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Beloved … you have served us well … from what I see on the map, we can safely transport our children to the planet of Cistercia … here … this is the outer limit of the Hellasian galaxy and light years from First and his brethren. According to what we have found, it will support our need for neutronium so that we can build a new colony … with you as my queen", the last words slipped easily from his lips.

Sam forced herself to turn and smile up at his trusting face. She could not afford to break the masquerade, and so she kept her eyes on his to further convince him of her loyalty and love.

"My love, I do not feel like a queen … I'm tired and hungry. Can you provide one last banquet before we leave? And, clothing … I would like to dress for the journey in robes which would honor you as I stand by your side … I want to leave my past and all semblance of my past in this room when we depart."

She rose from her chair and took his head in her hands, caressing his cheeks with her soft fingertips while she kissed him passionately.

_He felt completed … no longer alone and alienated … no longer tormented and ridiculed for his human feelings and desires. Soon, he and his beloved would take the very first step to a life which would be like that of which he dreamed. He would_ _truly be_ _alive_.

"I will bring what you desire, and then we shall greet our new brethren."

Turning, he placed his hand on one of the control-room walls, and the cells liquefied allowing him to pass through. Before he did, he glanced lovingly at her with a smile that beamed his pride and pleasure.

Sam felt a sudden wave of nausea as his figure disappeared. She had to steady herself on the chair in front of her. Her mind game had gone way beyond anything she had originally imagined. He loved her so much that he seemed almost human in his devotion.

_Get a grip on yourself. He's not human … he's a Replicator! This is the only way you can escape … you had to make him trust you. _

She shook herself free of guilt and regret, and focused on the task at hand. Sitting down at the console, she quickly searched the database for the missing Gate location and, within minutes, had a map of the Allerian terrain before her.

_Yes, she could navigate from this … she could find her way back to the circle of wisdom and the way home to SGC …the way home to sanity, to reality, to her friends and comrades … to …_

"Sir!"

He burst into the control room from the walkway surrounding the observation tower. It was the only point of access leading from a physical staircase, probably left there from the Allerians' earlier use of the citadel.

She could not believe her eyes … O'Neill was clad in camouflage gear and armed with not only his weapon but her missing P90 as well. Strung across his left shoulder was the wave disrupter!

"Carter, we've got to move fast … here, catch!", and he threw her P90 to her as she rose from her chair.

_Jack's heart was beating wildly; he had met no resistance on the way up the stairs and Sam was standing here before him, looking good, looking really good … well as "good" as one could be, considering the circumstances … there would be plenty of time later for her to fill him in on all the details._

"Sir, let me retrieve this last piece of data and we can try to make it to the Gate."

Sam bent down to the computer screen and hit a command key which began spitting out a map of some kind … Jack was about to tell her that it wouldn't be necessary … _for cryin' out loud, he and the boys knew the way back home. And, where was that low-level piece of replicated junk, anyway? He had one more piece of unfinished business with Fifth._

It happened so quickly that neither Sam nor Jack could have defended against it.

_Sam would always remember that exact instant … the image would be imprinted upon her mind and replay itself at her most vulnerable moments. The assault and penetration happened in a flash; but in her mind's eye, everything began to move slowly, ever so slowly, as if a surreal nightmare had just begun …._

As Jack was scouting all parts of the room for any potential threat and Sam was concentrating at the computer, a sudden flash of blue light beamed behind O'Neill. Sam looked up in alarm and watched helplessly as Fifth reappeared and thrust his hand into the back of Jack's head.

"Crap" was O'Neill's last conscious thought as he fell to his knees and dropped his weapon. The wave disrupter also tumbled to the floor.


	29. Chpt 29 Flashpoint

**Head Trip – Chapter 29 "Flashpoint"**

When the neural disturbance came upon him, it was totally unexpected. Fifth had been finalizing plans for their departure. _He would prepare a proper feast for Sam on Cistercia, a banquet fit for a queen._ For now he simply wanted to quench her thirst and hunger with a light meal and find a suitable garment for her travels. Her beauty continued to amaze him and he thought of her in the flowing robe when she first came to him, freely, of her own will. _In his mind, he could see again their walk in the garden. He remembered the feeling of tranquility that came upon him when she took his hand and led him into that idyllic setting. They embraced and he felt safe in her arms; he felt wanted._

Suddenly, his pleasant thoughts of Samantha were interrupted by another, more sinister sense of something, someone near … _an intruder within the citadel!_ Fifth immediately beamed himself back into the control room to determine if there had been a breach of security.

In a moment, at a glance, his enemy was before him. Fifth silently rejoiced to see that it was O'Neill, the one who had destroyed his replicated creation of Sam. He could now discover what had happened when she was sent on that mission. He would find out the cause of her destruction, and then he would wipe out the destroyer. Vengefully, Fifth thrust his hand into the back of Jack O'Neill's head.

Sam looked from Jack's stricken face to Fifth's feverish glare. She knew that using her P90 would only be a temporary solution and, besides, Jack's slumped figure was blocking her aim. The final solution, her weapon of choice, was lying across the room at the Replicator's feet. She feared that any quick move towards the wave disrupter would result in severe injury to Jack. Sizing up the precarious situation, Sam decided that the best course of action was no action. If she continued the pretense of allegiance, she might be able to distract Fifth from the mind probe and eventually reach the disrupter. Regretfully, Sam placed her weapon on the desk behind her and watched, helplessly, as the painful scene unfolded.

Jack's eyes appeared unfocused and his mouth twisted in agony as Fifth relentlessly pushed farther and farther into his victim's mind. Carter stifled a cry of compassion knowing that it would condemn both her and O'Neill to the Replicator's wrath. So she stood, immobile and on edge, waiting for Jack's release.

Trying to feign disinterest, she said, "Fifth, my love, we have no need of O'Neill. Leave him."

The Replicator looked up and at her as if seeing her for the very first time. "Oh, no, Samantha … this is the man who caused me so much pain … I will have my revenge now and then we shall leave for Cistercia."

_Fifth was already finding the secrets that Jack O'Neill had hidden deep within his mind, feelings and longings that had only recently begun to rise to the surface …feelings which were about to cause a devastating chain reaction for all of them._

_The pain came in waves, crashing over him and then releasing him, only to catch him up once more in the maelstrom of images and scenes from his past life._ He fought to defend himself from Fifth's violent intrusion but he had been taken so quickly and unexpectedly that O'Neill did not really have time to prepare himself fully for the mental assault. _His mind was on Sam._ Seeing her standing there before him, uninjured and safe, he wanted to rush to her side and wrap her in his arms. He wanted to tell her how much he really cared. Instead, he followed military protocol and threw her weapon to her, preparing for their escape. _All of these most recent thoughts and feelings now became the property of Fifth. _

The turbulence continued to rack Jack's brain, sweeping both him and his abductor along a slippery path of military data and past missions into the deeper vortex of personal encounters and cherished memories. _He felt as if he were being stripped of all his most valued possessions. He tried to find something to anchor himself. He needed time to rebuild the walls which were now falling all about him … time to find a place to hide … to hide and protect … who? Who was it that he should not reveal? In the end, he saw only her face, the woman who filled his mind with hope and desire and love. _At the closing stages of the probe, Jack O'Neill could not separate himself from his memories of Sam.

Teal'c waited, cautiously, for O'Neill to reappear at the back of the citadel along with Colonel Carter. He glanced once more at his watch and realized that the final minutes of decision were upon him. Knowing that he was deliberately going against his commander's direct orders to stand his ground and retreat without them, Teal'c, nevertheless, followed his own sense of urgency and headed towards the back entrance. _He would not, could not, leave his teammates abandoned to their enemy._

Fifth felt a power and a sense of control that filled him with determination. He could tell from the first moment of impact that O'Neill had been taken by surprise and, knowing that, he became all the more relentless in his purge of the contents of Jack's mind. He soon managed to strip away and store the objective military data that his replicated sister had been sent to retrieve. This was offered up quickly and almost effortlessly. Around this, however, he began to see more and more images of Samantha: moments of O'Neill and Carter on missions together, feelings of connection and danger; a flash of the two of them standing face to face separated by some type of force field, looking longingly into each other's eyes; snatches of conversations; captivities and tortures; always returning to that look in their eyes, a deepening bond … Jack, at the bedside of Carter; Carter leaning on Jack's shoulder; a furtive embrace, a look, a touch … and a passion kindling under the surface of Jack O'Neill. _Fifth could feel the heat of this desire and, with this feeling of desire, came an overwhelming sense of love._ _The love flashed out to another woman who looked like Sam … he realized with a jolt that he was seeing the Replicated Carter in the act of probing Jack's mind._ He next saw her lifeless body lying on the floor of O'Neill's office_. She had seen and felt what Fifth was now feeling! But she was not ready for this kind of earthly knowledge._ Fifth had not yet instructed her in the art of love. He had not yet trained the Replicated Carter to experience such a powerful human emotion. _Was this shocking revelation of a man's love for a woman so overwhelming that it somehow killed her? _

This was not what he was searching for! This was a terrible truth that filled him with anger at the humans who were responsible for his beloved's death! _It was not only O'Neill … it was Samantha Carter too! Fifth could see clearly now – this man's love was reflected in the eyes of his beloved._ Their fleeting moments of intimacy had all played out before him as he probed Jack's mind. His own Samantha was gone, lying dead in O'Neill's office_. The woman he thought he now loved had deceived him once again. The woman who was to be his future companion had given her heart to the man who knelt before him. _

A cry of despair rose from his chest as Fifth released Jack from the probe. It became a keening, horrific sound of grief and anger as the Replicator kicked O'Neill aside and lunged towards Sam.

"He loves you! You have betrayed me!"

The shock of those words stunned Sam and, before she could reach back for the P90, Fifth was upon her. The strength of his impact sent them both hurtling out onto the observation tower of Level Three. Sam took the brunt of the fall, her head and shoulders crashing onto the metallic surface of the deck. Fifth landed on top of her and immediately put his hands around her throat. He raged at her as he closed his fingers on her neck.

"You never loved me! You love him!"

He was inches from her face and his eyes burned with such hot anger that she felt she would be consumed by the fire. The pressure on her windpipe and her need to free herself from his stranglehold brought her back to her senses. Her vision was starting to dim and she knew she only had seconds left to think clearly. Reaching up, she raked her fingers across his eyes. As he screamed in pain, she found the leverage she needed and pushed him to her side. He reached for her leg as she twisted and tried to scramble away. She was slammed to the surface, and then felt herself being lifted from behind and thrown back into the control room. Her body careened, headfirst, into the monolith. She could feel the crushing blow but forced herself to stay conscious_. Her own anger was now rising. Her own need to survive, to save Jack and herself, to bring these mechanical aberrations to an end began to give her added strength. _Sam ignored the blood running from her forehead as she turned and saw Fifth coming. He had turned into a bastardized version of his former self. His features were so distorted with rage that she could not believe it was the same gentle almost-human form who had professed to love her. _It was best to see him like this; it would make it easier for her to do what she knew must be done._ She got to her feet quickly and prepared for the next assault.

This time she was ready. As he moved towards her, she lashed out with a high kick which caught him squarely on the jaw. He staggered backwards, but did not fall. Sam advanced swiftly, throwing several punches to his body and a blow to his head. All landed successfully but he still refused to go down. As she lashed out once more, he reached out and grabbed her wrist with such force that she could feel the bones snap. The sudden pain shooting up her left arm and his continued pressure on the injury caused her to fall to her knees. As she looked up, she saw the flash of the back of his hand as it met her face. _Her fierce determination to stay alive matched his determination to punish her._ Even as she lay there, stunned and half conscious, she was planning her next move.

Teal'c had made careful note of the Claymores and knew that O'Neill had placed timed explosives throughout the interior of the citadel. As he turned into the cavernous building, he scanned the large room looking for any sign of replicator activity or his friends. Nothing seemed to be happening on the lower level. All machinery and boxes appeared to be stationary and the building seemed to be some type of storage and housing facility. Indeed, there were three levels of cell-like rooms with surrounding walkways. It was then that he realized that all the building materials were made up of replicator blocks. He could see some of the C4 charges as he slowly moved towards a stairwell which he hoped would take him to his missing teammates. However, before he could mount the steps, a sudden movement on the highest level caught his attention. Someone had come out on to what appeared to be some kind of observation tower or balcony.

He then heard the following command echo off the cavernous walls: "Come forth, my children, come forth!"

Sam watched as Fifth moved out on to the third level and knew what he was about to do. As she heard the chilling words of activation, she crawled towards the wave disrupter and Jack's prone body. He was still unconscious from the mind probe_. If he were here, though, it was highly improbable that he came alone. He must have come with Teal'c and Daniel. _Her mind now started to clear and she realized that her situation might not be as dire as it seemed. Fifth had thought he left her unconscious; she deceived him once again. And she now lifted the wave disrupter and herself from the floor, albeit a bit unsteady. She had to cradle the weapon in the crook of her left arm because of the broken wrist.

_Things could be worse. It would be awkward but she knew what she had to do. Thank God, she wasn't a lefty! Her right arm and trigger finger were working just fine. She knew that the P90 would also be needed once Fifth had awakened all his 'children'. For now, though, she had to eliminate the leader and take out as many human-form Replicators as she could before their mechanical brethren joined the party!_


	30. Chpt 30 Endgame

**Head Trip – Chapter 30 "Endgame" **

Daniel awoke slowly, a blade of grass tickling his face. He felt lethargic but relieved to notice that his hands and feet were no longer itching and swollen. He lay there contentedly, gazing up at the vivid blue sky and floating clouds framed by the pointed edges of the tall grass which surrounded him. Stretching his lazy limbs, he stifled a yawn, and then sat bolt upright with a startled cry.

"My God ... Jack? Teal'c!"

Recollection collided with reality. Daniel's disorientation soon cleared as vivid memories returned: running down a gravel highway covering Jack's six, crossing the road and bracing himself against the citadel, replicator blocks and the warmth of the sun …

_What was he doing here? He vaguely recalled someone, a deep voice, talking to him about staying here, being prepared …prepared for what? Teal'c – it was Teal'c's voice, giving directions._

Daniel felt in the grass for his glasses. Finding them, he saw a note attached to the frame. "Daniel, you have experienced an adverse reaction to your medication which caused you to collapse. Do not consume any more of the drugs unless you are in dire circumstances. I have gone to help O'Neill extract Colonel Carter from the citadel. He wants you to collect our equipment, guard the road, and be prepared to exit quickly upon our return."

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, the now fully awake archaeologist rose to his feet and crumpled the paper in his hand_. I let them down … Sam's in that building facing God knows what … and I'm here taking a nap in the grass._

With thoughts of guilt and regret racing through his mind, Daniel did a quick sweep of the hiding place, gathered all remaining equipment for quick pickup on way back, checked the road for clearance, and began running down the gravelly path, fully armed and ready for action. He wanted to make up for lost time.

Teal'c saw neither Carter nor O'Neill as he glanced upwards at the figure on Level Three. There seemed to be something strangely familiar about the man who was now shouting some type of command. Teal'c stepped back farther into the deep shadows near the stairwell, concealing himself while he observed the bizarre drama unfolding two flights above.

"Come forth, my children, come forth."

At the sound of Fifth's command, the holding cells, made up of replicator blocks, began a massive transformation. The outer covering of each cubed cell began to liquefy and dissolve as newly formed Replicators stepped through in obedience to their creator. They stood stiffly, staring out of glazed and emotionless eyes, automatons awaiting their next command. The bluish-white light which emanated from the cavernous ceiling and bathed the figures in its eerie glow added to the surreality of the moment. Teal'c guessed that there were about 80 glistening bodies standing around the entire perimeter of the third-level walkway … standing at attention in deference to their master … _Fifth! Yes, that was Fifth at the edge of the walkway! _

Knowing that the C4 was about five minutes from self-detonation, the mighty Jaffa did not wait for Fifth's next action. Instead, he turned and ran up the stairway looking for his friends.

O'Neill's head was spinning, his thoughts could not seem to focus … his senses awakened first. He was lying on his side, the pain in his head was subsiding but being replaced by the pain in his bruised ribs. He could hear a man's voice shouting some kind of command, and then he felt a brief touch on his shoulder, a gentle, but firm touch with a whispered "sir, hang in there". He winced as he moved and opened his eyes. What he saw quickly brought him back to reality. Sam, looking bloodied and beaten, was limping towards the Replicator form of Fifth with the wave disrupter cradled in her arms.

Jack tried to find his weapon and rise to his feet, but the sudden movement of trying to get up sent him tumbling onto his back. The grogginess and pain in his head refused to release him. Instead, he was forced to watch, helplessly, as Carter lifted the disrupter and pointed it at Fifth.

Fifth looked at what he had wrought. _His children, his brothers and sisters, came forth at his command and were now awaiting the final word, the word of approval and activation_. _These were truly his creations, not those of First. He was now in charge of his world. He would take these new beings with him to a planet far, far away. Perhaps, in time, the pain would lessen, his anger and rage already being replaced by an immense sadness and hollowness. _

As he gazed upon the Replicators surrounding him on the walkway, Fifth's rage had turned to grief. _Samantha Carter was supposed to be at his side for this moment of birth. The new order of creation was to be shared with the woman he thought he loved. Were these human emotions worth the cost? In some ways, First and those who followed him, were to be envied for their inability to feel this kind of pain - the pain of love and betrayal and despair. _Tears came to his eyes, another human sensation. He felt them burn his cheeks as they ran down his face.

Just as Fifth was ready to give the final command, he sensed her presence and turned to look into Sam's face. Their eyes met and held for what seemed an eternity.

By the time that Sam had struggled over to the observation tower, the Replicators had appeared from their cells. Her worst fear had materialized. Scores of Allerian elders were now standing, in zombie-like formation, awaiting their new orders as human Replicators. An entire planet had been transformed from human to alien life forms intent upon further domination and control_. She had to end this now._ These were a race of peace-loving and trusting people, wise men and women who valued learning and knowledge. They were now shells of their former selves. Those who had been captured and replicated seemed beyond any help, at least, any help that she could give. _Indeed, she only knew of one human being who had returned from this stasis intact. Herself! Fifth released her after making his copy. He had spared her life. Why? _

She found her answer in his pained eyes. "I loved you … I really loved you." The words were said in a whisper as the Replicator prepared for what Sam was about to do.

In that brief moment of encounter, time stood still. Fifth's features softened and he looked at her, once more, with the yearning and trust she had seen when they first met so long ago on Halla. Emotions of love and grief played upon his face. The moment of truth had arrived for both of them, standing there on the precipice of decision. _There was no redemption, no going back, for either one._

Carter had made tough choices all through this ordeal. She had a mission to fulfill, a mandate. She was a warrior and responsible to her commanders and her country. She did, in good faith, what was demanded of her given the extraordinary circumstances of her hostage situation and the very nature of the enemy itself. She was not proud of the methods that she had to use to resist her own torture and overcome the enemy. Playing psychological mind games and using deceit and seduction as weapons were not her normal methods of operation. She knew what she had to do to survive. And she had to survive in order to serve the greater good – the survival of her planet and many others. The knowledge she had been able to retrieve by Fifth's trusting her could now help in the final eradication of the Replicator threat. "De oppresso liber!" She believed in the integrity of that motto. But she also saw and felt the pain of the oppressor as he stood before her, looking more human, in his grief, than ever before. The humanity in her responded: "I am sorry, so sorry that it had to end like this. But I cannot allow you to enslave any more people."

He heard her and, as she clumsily shifted the wave disrupter to fire at him, Fifth yelled his final words of defiance to the static Replicator forms who lined the walkway, "Brethren arise!"

The wave disrupter swept over Fifth and his figure broke apart into inert particles. As if waking from a slumber, the other Replicators began to turn and slowly march towards the observation tower. Sam stepped over Fifth's remains and carefully took aim at the perimeter – her own anger and grief compelling her as she thought of what had been taken from the people on this planet. Beginning from one end of the walkway and continuing in a sweeping motion, Carter sent wave upon wave of disrupter beams into the Replicators dissolving them even as a new threat arose.

The sinister sounds of mechanical bugs could now be heard as the replicator cells, themselves, started to take on the shapes of the enemy's basic form. Carter moved back within the control room just as Teal'c came charging through the entrance on the far side with an automatic weapon in hand. Jack was now leaning on the side of the monolith, rubbing his hand across his eyes, still trying to focus and come to the aid of his comrades.

"Colonel Carter, we have little time left, O'Neill has planted C4 throughout this building." Seeing her bruises and the awkward way she was holding the wave disrupter, Teal'c added his concern, "Do you need my assistance in retreating?" He then looked beyond her towards the observation tower.

Knowing his unspoken question, Carter replied, "It's all right, Teal'c, Fifth is dead. I'm okay but the whole place is waking up … can you handle the wave disrupter and take the General while I retrieve my data and cover your six?"

The Jaffa nodded and reached for the disrupter while, at the same time, swinging around and anchoring O'Neill's arm around his broad shoulder. The General tried to push away and walk on his own, but almost collapsed once he was free of Teal'c's strong grip. Without hesitation, his comrade pulled the shaken commander closer and began the trip down the stairs.

Carter rushed to the computer consoles and swept up the valuable disks and maps, stuffing them into her shirt pocket. She then swung her P90 into position and proceeded to back out of the control room just as the first round of replicators began to race in from the observation deck. Adrenaline and anger were now coursing through her veins and she found herself swearing at the mechanical spiders as she ripped a round of ammunition into their bodies. It was a known fact that the low-tech weapons of the Tau'ri were actually more effective in stopping these mechanical forms than more sophisticated weaponry; that is, until General O'Neill was able to use the knowledge of the Ancients to provide a prototype of wave-disrupter technology. Thor then developed a mega-weapon which was now the ultimate solution. But Thor was not here, and Jack was still in shock from the mind probe; so the combination of one wave disrupter and their "primitive" P90s and explosives would have to cause enough damage to buy them time to return to the Gate.

Teal'c moved quickly down the stairs, using the wave disrupter to clear his path as the replicators started to swarm up the stairs from the lower levels. Once he reached the first level, he had to fight through the clattering bugs as they climbed over his boots on their way to the stairwell. Most of the ground was now covered with the menacing army of replicators. They seemed to be following a prescribed route to the observation tower. _Of course! They may have had some type of internal sensor which had been activated when Carter killed Fifth. It was as if they were programmed to find their creator's assassin._

Knowing that she would need his help now more than ever, Teal'c dragged O'Neill out the back of the building so that he could leave him in a safe area while he returned to Carter's side.

Daniel was panting heavily as he rounded the corner of the citadel. He traced what seemed to be a line of Claymores leading to the back entrance. As he ran forward with weapon raised, two figures came stumbling out. He was close enough to recognize his comrades and shouted to them. Teal'c turned in surprise and quickly ordered the young scientist to take their fallen leader and retreat to safety.

"Daniel, you must move as far away from the citadel as you can with O'Neill. We only have minutes before the explosives will detonate. I must return to assist Colonel Carter!"

As Daniel slung Jack's arm around his shoulder, he locked eyes with the Jaffa and they both nodded. Words were not needed; the next few minutes would settle their fate, and, quite possibly, the fate of their planet.

While Daniel fell back with O'Neill, Teal'c returned to the citadel with the wave disrupter and swept the cavernous room of the encroaching mechanical forms. He had hoped that Colonel Carter would have been appearing from the stairwell by now but she was nowhere to be seen. With a concerned look, he rushed towards the stairs, prepared to help his friend escape.

* * *

"De Oppresso Liber" is the motto of the U.S. Special Forces and translation is "To free from oppression." 


	31. Chpt 31 Comrades in Arms

**Head Trip – Chapter 31 "Comrades in Arms"**

"Damn you all to hell!"

Sam Carter continued to back out of the control room while shooting the army of replicators which were swarming in from the observation deck. Now fully aware that Jack had planted C4 throughout the citadel, Carter knew that she needed to exit the building as quickly as possible. The force of her "primitive" P90 would only deter the replicators temporarily until they regenerated themselves and began their pursuit once more.

Having cleared the room, she turned and faced the stairwell and began her descent. In a matter of seconds, hordes of replicators were mounting the staircase, with even more taking shape from the ceiling and walls surrounding her. The citadel had been composed of many replicator building blocks and now, slowly but ever so surely, the mechanical spiders were awakening and seeking out their prey.

Sam resumed firing as she stepped down, around and through the invaders; almost stumbling as she sought to fight them off from her face, arms and legs. She had just about reached the ground floor when she suddenly felt the impact of a replicator on her back. As she struggled to free herself from its deadly embrace, the attacker released a hot spray of acid onto her back and shoulders. She screamed in pain as the smell of burning flesh filled the stairwell.

Teal'c did not see Colonel Carter as he turned inside the citadel, all the while targeting the angry mass of replicators with the wave disrupter. The disrupter was the one weapon capable of destroying the replicators. Unfortunately, the entire citadel was now coming alive with so many bugs that the limited range of the disrupter could not decimate all of them at once.

Clearing a path before him, Teal'c ran to the stairwell just as he heard an agonizing scream. Looking up the stairs he saw his teammate staggering down the steps with a large replicator attached to her back and others clawing at her legs. Her tortured face told him all he needed to know. The Jaffa quickly pointed the disrupter at the buzzing nest that surrounded his besieged comrade and released the strong wave particle beam which disintegrated all the marauders.

Sam felt an immediate release from the pain and pressure and was able to regain her shaky balance as she descended the few remaining steps towards Teal'c. She prayed that the adrenaline would continue to override the stinging on her back and the throbbing in her left wrist. She needed her fear and anger to propel both her and Teal'c far and beyond the citadel before the C4 exploded.

"Colonel Carter, are you capable of continuing?"

Sam took a quick gulp of air, raised her head to the tall Jaffa, and reassured him, "I've got what we need to win this war – let's live long enough to deliver it to Thor!"

With those words, the two members of SG1 fought their way to the exit of the citadel, Teal'c using the wave disrupter to further destroy the renegade bugs now racing down the sides of the building and Sam shooting her P90 at whatever got in her way. It was not lost on the Jaffa that the replicators were intent upon reaching his teammate, so much so that they would scramble up and over his feet and legs in their march to their target. He made a cautious note of this new pattern of behavior believing that Fifth had, indeed, somehow programmed these final remnants of replicators to attack the one who had killed him.

Daniel hurried to the far end of the citadel with Jack's arm slung around his shoulders. The General continued to stumble and still seemed to be unaware of just what was happening to him and his team. Daniel was glad that he, himself, was now clear headed enough to do the thinking for both of them. Having rounded the corner of the building, the archaeologist took one last glance at the exit but Sam and Teal'c were nowhere to be seen. With a sinking heart, he knew that he had to retreat even farther to escape the heat and debris from the impending explosion. With a prayer on his lips, Daniel strode down the highway to the safety of their former encampment.

In a matter of minutes, the citadel had turned into a gigantic hive of replicator activity and now, even the outer structure of the building began to transform itself into pockets of mechanical bugs clattering and racing down the walls. By the time Carter and Teal'c had emerged from the ground level, they were confronted with more replicators which seemed to gravitate to Sam as she ran alongside her teammate. Teal'c continued to use the wave disrupter to eliminate the new swarms of bugs as Sam ran towards the outer perimeter of the fortress. The attacking replicators and Sam's injuries were slowing them down. They were not as far enough away as they'd hoped when the noise and concussion from the exploding C4 reached them. The domino effect of the internal blasts sent them flying forward. Sam could feel the heat on her back as she was lifted and tossed about 20 feet, landing and rolling in the narrow incline of grass where Jack had left the Claymore detonator. Teal'c landed near her but had managed to keep the wave disrupter in his possession. He had blood on his massive shoulders and knew that he had been hit by the flying debris. Both teammates lay silent and stunned for a few moments.

Teal'c, regaining his senses more quickly, turned and touched his comrade gently, "Colonel Carter, can you speak? Have you sustained further injuries?"

Sam Carter's body was ready to shut down … she heard her friend as if from a great distance, and soon realized that the concussion from the C4 had probably weakened her hearing_. She was stunned but her mind was still thinking clearly. They were still not safe; she wouldn't breathe freely until they had put some distance between themselves and the remnants of this burnt-out fortress_.

She knew that Teal'c had eliminated many of the replicators, but she also knew that the ones which she had shot with her automatic weapon were not totally "dead". They would probably regenerate and pursue SG1 once again on their way to the Gate. From what she had learned from Fifth, though, she was fairly certain that the remaining replicators were all located within the confines of the citadel. _There should be no hidden threats lying ahead of them on their journey home and she had the map to get them there._ The wave disrupter was still intact and would provide the ultimate defense against the replicators that survived the explosions and her P90. But every one of her team had already felt the impact of this mission. _If she could gain them some valuable time, just a few hours in which they could rest and recuperate, they would be able to gather their resources and complete the mission. She knew what she had to do._

"Teal'c, I'm fine. The C4 has taken out most of the citadel. From the concussion, I'd say there's quite a crater. I see that Jack also laid these Claymores and I'm going to detonate them now to provide the final blow. Then we'll regroup with Daniel and General O'Neill. I need you to keep the wave disrupter under your control at all times. We may be pursued. It should take several hours, at least, for the remaining replicator blocks to reconfigure and take shape. I want us to pull back a few miles beyond your last position and then rest."

Seeing the blood on his shoulders, Sam sat up and touched his bloody shoulder. "Oh, T … how bad are you hit?"

The Jaffa took his comrade's hand and looked into her tired eyes, "Colonel Carter, do not concern yourself with my injuries. I believe they will prove less severe than yours. I am glad to see that you are able to remain calm and project the next steps to be taken. I fear that General O'Neill may not yet be himself and it is good to have you in command."

He raised himself to a standing position and put out his hand to pull his commander up. She was grateful for the assist, and both of them looked at the destruction in front of them. Carter was right … there was a deep hole in the ground, with smoke still rising from the crater. The Claymores were placed along the perimeter as a second line of defense and precaution … Jack probably decided to throw everything he had into assuring that the bugs were blown sky high. Sam reached for the detonator and, taking it in hand, motioned Teal'c to begin the retreat down the highway. However, as they prepared to move away from ground zero, Sam saw something that sent a chill down her spine. A replicator was slowly climbing out of the crater.

"Go, go!" Sam pushed Teal'c forward, and followed behind with the detonator as the replicator began to move from the rubble and onto the highway. Teal'c then turned and dispatched the enemy with the wave disrupter. Carter pressed the detonator and a series of explosions rocked the ground. She and Teal'c ducked and put their arms over their heads as debris rained down upon them once again. When the smoke cleared, she and her loyal comrade looked at each other with grateful hearts. They had survived.


	32. Chpt 32 Mission Accomplished

**Head Trip – Chapter 32 "Mission Accomplished"**

Daniel had reached their encampment and placed Jack down on his side just as the first explosions rocked the earth. He turned in the direction of the citadel and could see a massive plume of smoke rising into the blue sky. His first thoughts were of Sam and Teal'c. _Did they get out in time? Were they okay? _His next aim was to rush back to help, but he was interrupted by Jack who struggled to sit up and asked, groggily, "what the hell was that?"

Daniel turned in O'Neill's direction and spat out the answer, "The C4 just took out the citadel. I don't know if Sam and Teal'c made it out."

The General's blanched face turned even more pale. He motioned for the younger man to help him up, wincing as the change of position reminded him of his bruised ribs.

Jack O'Neill had one honkin' headache. The vise around his forehead refused to relinquish its hold. As hard as he tried, his equilibrium would not return and every time he stood up, he was forced to sit back down lest he fall flat on his face. This happened once again as Daniel stood beside him and they both watched the rising smoke in the distance. Never in his life did he feel so helpless and out of control.

_Damn Fifth! Damn the whole friggin' lot! His people were out there alone, possibly dying, and he couldn't even aim and fire his weapon! He traveled all this way to save Sam and now she was forced to save herself._

"How did we get here? What's happening?"

Daniel sat the General down and offered him some water. O'Neill drank copiously, hoping that the water, itself, would miraculously clear his head and help him regain his composure. Jack could at least focus more clearly now; as Daniel talked, his "two heads" merged into one and that alone was an improvement. _Having his line of vision restored should allow him to use a weapon. _

"Jack, Teal'c managed to get you out of the citadel and then went back in for Sam. You were pretty out of it and I just about dragged you here when the C4 went off …"

Daniel could not finish his sentence as a new series of explosions shook the ground.

"Crap! Daniel, hand me my P90 and let's get out of this grass!"

The second jolt cleared Jack's head further and the fresh surge of adrenaline served to push the viselike pain to the background. He rose, shaken but determined to help his team. The two men pressed forward out of the grass but did not have to travel far. Only a hundred yards or so in front of them, they saw their teammates, moving in their direction. Teal'c was carrying the wave disrupter and Carter was holding the P90 at her side. She jogged somewhat erratically beside the big Jaffa. As they came closer, Jack's heart caught in his chest … his vision was now sharp enough to detect that both of his friends had sustained injuries. Teal'c had blood running down his arms, and Sam had bruises and blood on her face along with one arm held tightly to her side. He knew they had given as good as they got, and was feeling both relieved and proud to see them still standing.

Seeing that there were no replicators following their comrades, Jack and Daniel relaxed a bit and walked up to meet their friends. The smell of the explosives was still hanging heavy in the balmy air, but as Sam finally stood before him, another smell sent alarm bells ringing in O'Neill's head. He looked from Teal'c to Carter; their uniforms were torn and dirty, but something more …

"Colonel, turn around."

Sam looked up into his face, so glad to see his eyes clearly focused and his voice firm. But she was confused by the order.

"Sir?"

"Turn around, please … let me have a look at your back."

_Sam Carter was running on empty … and knew that she had a few more miles to go. The pain from her burns would have to be borne a while longer, until they were all at a safer distance to care for their injuries and then retreat to the Gate. _

"Sir, there's no time. We have to go."

_Her blue eyes, filled with pain and fatigue, searched his concerned face and he felt time stand still once more._ It was as if they were back on Apophis' ship, standing there, separated by a force field and speaking their true intentions through one long and revealing look_. This time, though, there was no barrier and he would not let the moment get away. _

"Come here."

General Jack O'Neill reached out and drew Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter into his arms. He enveloped her in a heartfelt hug that conveyed not only his pride and respect, but also his love.

Sam's back exploded with pain from the pressure of Jack's arms and she let out a gasp. He quickly pulled back and realized that he had aggravated her injuries, not to mention the stab of pain to his own ribs.

A slow smile crept across Jack's face, returned by a knowing glance from Sam.

"We're a pair, aren't we? Now, Carter, since you seem to have things under command and I'm still recovering from a nasty headache, tell me what our next move should be …"

As Teal'c and Daniel foraged in the tall grass, gathering up all their equipment, the former commander of SG1 and his very able replacement began walking down the Allerian highway towards the Gate. Sam had her map out and was telling Jack that if they were able to set some distance between themselves and the ruins of the citadel during the remaining hours of daylight, she thought there was a good chance that any pursuing replicators could be contained if and when they followed them. She then shared some of the important data she had learned from Fifth, confident that Thor would be able to now track and destroy First and his new colony and other Replicator outposts.

Jack was surprised that Sam had killed Fifth, knowing that it would have taken a courageous effort on her part. _He sensed that she wanted to talk to him much more about what transpired in the control room._ _He was still feeling angry at himself for the surprise attack and the mind probe. He had the feeling that Fifth had torn secrets from him which may have unsettled Carter. She alone heard what was revealed. There was also some unfinished business on Earth. How would Sam handle seeing "herself" lying dead in the SGC morgue? What to do with the Replicator's body? And that little matter of his going off-world without permission …._

Teal'c and Daniel stepped from the grass barrier and followed their teammates on the gravel roadway. The sky was a brilliant blue and the breeze began to dissipate the smell of destruction and chaos that they were leaving behind. It was as if Alleria was reawakening to its original innocence and beauty. The grass was waving and birds began to reappear in the sky.

Sam Carter was walking gingerly but so engrossed in her conversation with the General that it provided the remaining energy before stopping for the night. She knew that Teal'c and Daniel would cover their six and, as painful as her injuries were, they were not unbearable. She and O'Neill had been able to talk freely and openly about the past two days and what they had experienced. They had not been so relaxed in each other's company in a long, long time. Having him here by her side and knowing that he would not leave her behind also comforted her. But knowing that, in the end, she had to depend on herself and her military skill to save the mission provided even more consolation. She felt a new confidence and ability to cope with whatever future missions would demand.

_In fact, she was feeling euphoric because of the surge of hope she felt in what she now secretly knew. __Jack loved her!_ _No, he was not quite aware that she knew this as a consequence of his mind probe. She would find a way to tell him. If she were brave enough to face Fifth and eliminate him, she would find the courage to face Jack and share her true feelings. _

_It would be much harder to live with her acts of deception and eventual betrayal of Fifth … she would be haunted by what she had to do in order to survive. She knew that it was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. But she was standing here, alive, and her team was alive and she eradicated a major threat to her planet and planets beyond._

_The Allerians? The circle of wisdom? She wanted to know more about these people; she now felt compelled to find out if any of them could have possibly escaped through the Gate. It would become a personal mission. She wanted to tell them that it was now safe to return; that she, Samantha Carter, had freed them from their oppressors. Fifth's face suddenly flashed in her mind and she realized that in some strange way he had been destined to be a victim … he was neither all human, nor all machine. He was truly oppressed. In killing him, she had released him. "De oppresso liber."_

"Carter? Hey, Sam … are you with me? I've been talking to you but you seem miles away. Are you okay?"

Jack O'Neill was grasping Carter's shoulders, albeit very gently, and interrupting her walking daydream … she moved beyond her numerous thoughts and looked into his face once more.

"Sir, I am so sorry … you're right … as we've been walking, I just started thinking about this whole mission and about all the ramifications of what has happened. There are some things that must remain confidential and off-the-record once I tell you … can we do that?"

"You know, Carter, I get the feeling that you and I are gonna have one helluva debriefing when we get back to SGC."

Looking up into Jack's somewhat amused face, Sam Carter knew that this mission, which had forced her to deceive, had also forced her to face the truth - about herself and the man she loved. There would be no going back now.

"What?" O'Neill prodded ...

It was Sam's turn to give an enigmatic grin.

"Read my mind."

* * *

_Thanks for reading my story and the many kind reviews. I hope you enjoyed the Sam I wrote for you: strong, decisive, in command, and courageous. I hope that this is the Sam Carter we get to see more of in Season 9 of Stargate! _

_Special thanks to my guru, SG1-Fanfic, whose own stories have inspired me! And thanks to all the loyal citizens of Samanda at the Gateworld Forum/SaGC (Sam's a Great Character) thread for supporting this project._

_This story was written purely for pleasure and no intention of infringement of copyright regarding Stargate productions and characters._

_Peace, CG_


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